emblazon

verb

em·​bla·​zon im-ˈblā-zᵊn How to pronounce emblazon (audio)
emblazoned; emblazoning im-ˈblā-zᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce emblazon (audio)
-ˈblāz-niŋ

transitive verb

1
a
: to inscribe or adorn with or as if with heraldic bearings or devices
b
: to inscribe (something, such as heraldic bearings) on a surface
2
: celebrate, extol
have his … deeds emblazoned by a poetThomas Nash
emblazoner
im-ˈblā-zᵊn-ər How to pronounce emblazon (audio)
-ˈblāz-nər
noun
emblazonment noun

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The History of Emblazon

Blazon is a less commonly used synonym of the more familiar coat of arms. Both centuries-old terms refer to heraldic designs, symbols, and other imagery (think crosses, lions, stripes, etc.) that typically appear on banners, shields, armor, and elsewhere. The verb form of blazon meaning “to represent armorial bearings in drawing or engraving” and emblazon, “to inscribe or adorn with or as if with heraldic bearings or devices,” came into use around the same time in the late 1500s. Emblazon still refers to marking something with an emblem of heraldry, but it is now more often used for adorning or publicizing something in any conspicuous way, whether with eye-catching decoration or colorful words of praise.

Examples of emblazon in a Sentence

colossal statues and other monumental constructions that were intended to emblazon his name for eons to come
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ohio’s governor and officials condemn it Some marchers carried black flags emblazoned with red swastikas, a notorious symbol of hate, antisemitism and White supremacy tracing to the murderous legacy of Germany’s Nazi Party and the Holocaust. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024 Ordaz’s family lined the courtroom again Tuesday, many of them wearing pins emblazoned with an image of their loved one, shedding tears even before L.A. County Deputy Dist. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2024 American flags were in abundance, and some supporters wore T-shirts and hoodies emblazoned with the vice president's face. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024 Unlike the attendees at Trump rallies, with their one-note MAGA caps, the Harris crowd furnished a symphony of headgear, from the viral Harris-Walz camo hats to hijabs to a sapphire fascinator to pink knit caps emblazoned with the candidates’ names. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for emblazon 

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of emblazon was in 1589

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Dictionary Entries Near emblazon

Cite this Entry

“Emblazon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emblazon. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

emblazon

verb
em·​bla·​zon im-ˈblāz-ᵊn How to pronounce emblazon (audio)
1
: to inscribe or decorate with markings or emblems used in heraldry
2
: celebrate sense 3, extol
a name emblazoned in history

More from Merriam-Webster on emblazon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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