emblazon

verb

em·​bla·​zon im-ˈblā-zᵊn 

emblazoned; emblazoning im-ˈblā-zᵊn-iŋ 

-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 poet …

—Thomas Nashe

emblazoner

im-ˈblā-zᵊn-ər 

-ˈblāz-nər

noun

emblazonment

im-ˈblā-zᵊn-mənt 

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.

Synonyms of emblazon

• celebrate
• bless
• 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

Items emblazoned with designer logos and trendy brands of the moment can typically be picked out of a crowd, but few can say the same about a product that’s a century old and barely costs more than $100. —Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2025

At street level though, Shields’s name is emblazoned in a blowup of a quote about his performance that ran in this column. —Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Nov. 2025

Dressed in all black, the trio powered through the high-energy track alongside a crew of golden-gloved dancers and atop a stage emblazoned with their logo. —Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2025

At the center, there is a rectangular piece of material emblazoned with a map. —Amelia Dhuga, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for emblazon

• malmaison
• blazon
• brazen
• hazan
• zazen

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Kids Definition

emblazon

verb

em·​bla·​zon im-ˈblāz-ᵊn 

1

: to inscribe or decorate with markings or emblems used in heraldry

2

: celebrate sense 3, extol

a name emblazoned in history