Synonyms
Examples of deification in a Sentence
the instant deification by the press of the country's newest war hero
Recent Examples on the Web
Whether a dead emperor was made a god depended not so much on his worthiness as on how useful his deification was to the man who came after him.
—
Mary Beard, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
The deification of emperors was fairly standard practice at the time, and the spoof claimed to lift the lid on what really happened during the process.
—Mary Beard, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
Bookstores still held their ground here among the shopfronts, and the deification of French writers living and dead was evinced everywhere in street names and statues and advertising hoardings for new novels.
—Rachel Cusk, New York Times, 2 May 2023
Our work points to a biological explanation for the deification of the species.
—Nathaniel J. Dominy, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2021
There’s a deification of this absence.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2023
So there's a whole issue here around public understanding of both science and politics, about the management of public expectations, about how rapid the flow from hero to zero can be—the vast deification of politicians post-election or in times of crisis.
—Matt Simon, Wired, 1 June 2020
After a young linebacker named Todd Hodne was arrested for rape in 1978, head coach Joe Paterno kicked him off the team; yet, Hodne would go on to strike again and again, enabled in part by the culture of deification that surrounded the Nittany Lions.
—Longreads, 6 Dec. 2022
Misery Starring Kathy Bates as the deluded Annie Wilkes and James Caan as famed novelist Paul Sheldon, is a stark commentary on the deification of celebrity and the destructive nature of obsession.
—Men's Health, 17 Mar. 2023
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Mary Beard, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
The deification of emperors was fairly standard practice at the time, and the spoof claimed to lift the lid on what really happened during the process.
—Mary Beard, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
Bookstores still held their ground here among the shopfronts, and the deification of French writers living and dead was evinced everywhere in street names and statues and advertising hoardings for new novels.
—Rachel Cusk, New York Times, 2 May 2023
Our work points to a biological explanation for the deification of the species.
—Nathaniel J. Dominy, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2021
There’s a deification of this absence.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2023
So there's a whole issue here around public understanding of both science and politics, about the management of public expectations, about how rapid the flow from hero to zero can be—the vast deification of politicians post-election or in times of crisis.
—Matt Simon, Wired, 1 June 2020
After a young linebacker named Todd Hodne was arrested for rape in 1978, head coach Joe Paterno kicked him off the team; yet, Hodne would go on to strike again and again, enabled in part by the culture of deification that surrounded the Nittany Lions.
—Longreads, 6 Dec. 2022
Misery Starring Kathy Bates as the deluded Annie Wilkes and James Caan as famed novelist Paul Sheldon, is a stark commentary on the deification of celebrity and the destructive nature of obsession.
—Men's Health, 17 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deification.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of deification was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near deification
Cite this Entry
“Deification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deification. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on deification
Britannica English: Translation of deification for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deification
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