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 Nash

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

• bless
• carol
• celebrate
• exalt
• extol
• extoll
• glorify
• hymn
• laud
• magnify
• praise
• resound

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

Contestants fought on a blue canvas devoid of sponsorships, a stark contrast to the Monster Energy, Modelo and DraftKings logos now emblazoned inside U.F.C. octagons. —Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

The action movie icon, who first fought Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1984’s classic The Terminator and then teamed up with him in two follow-up films, sits down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter wearing a beanie emblazoned with two words: Resident Alien. —Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024

Among videos and photos of the aftermath, cardboard boxes emblazoned with the nonprofit’s logo could be seen scattered on the ground, splattered with blood. —Katie Polglase, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024

The character, who is Black, does this by buying a pickup truck emblazoned with a decal of the flag and driving around without removing it. —The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

The white purse featured custom silver Maundy coins while the red purse contained a £5 coin emblazoned with a Tudor Dragon and a 50 pence coin commemorating the Royal National Lifeboat Institution during its 200th anniversary this year. —Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024

Freed-Hardman 86, Grace 81 The Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) Lions took the floor for warmups Monday sporting black T-shirts emblazoned with a bright red heart between the abbreviations FHU and KC. —Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024

And, for those pop fans with a long memory, Kylie paid the ultimate tribute to Madonna and her supporters by wearing a shirt emblazoned with the icon’s name, continuing a mutual appreciation society that can be traced back decades. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024

For fans of the show, there was one telltale giveaway: Some of the clips show Squad 3 emblazoned on the truck, the number of the unit depicted in the series. —USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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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