dignify

dig·ni·fy

transitive verb \ˈdig-nə-ˌfī\

dig·ni·fieddig·ni·fy·ing

Definition of DIGNIFY

1

: to give distinction to : ennoble

2

: to confer dignity upon; also : to give undue attention or status to <won't dignify that remark with a reply>

Examples of DIGNIFY

1. She felt that formal clothing would help dignify the occasion.
2. He said he wouldn't dignify his opponents' accusations by responding to them.

Origin of DIGNIFY

Middle English dignifien, from Middle French dignifier, from Late Latin dignificare, from Latin dignus worthy — more at decent

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to DIGNIFY

Synonyms

aggrandize, canonize, deify, exalt, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnify

Antonyms

abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate

Related Words

boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift; heighten, intensify; idealize, romanticize, sanitize, sugarcoat; acclaim, extol (also extoll), honor, laud, praise

Near Antonyms

belittle, decry, depreciate, detract, disparage, minimize

Rhymes with DIGNIFY

abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify