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 depict heraldic figures or designs in drawing or engraving” and emblazon, “to inscribe or adorn with or as if with heraldic figures or designs,” came into use around the same time in the late 1500s, from the French spoken in medieval England. (The word heraldry, also ultimately from Anglo-French, came into use then too.) 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

Inside, some fans carried the red-and-green flags emblazoned with a golden lion and sun that predate the 1979 Islamic Revolution — a flag that seemed at least as visible as the official flag of Iran itself. —ABC News, 21 June 2026

But even those who didn’t get to see the parade up close had their share of Brunson run-ins, his name emblazoned on countless jerseys and his face blown up on cutouts. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 18 June 2026

At the mid panel, a translucent TPU window is emblazoned with Awake’s A logo. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 June 2026

What appears to be the only Indian restaurant is called Ghandi, and the smoke of hookahs cast a cloud over charmingly old world-looking boats emblazoned with American names. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for emblazon

• malmaison
• blazon
• brazen
• hazan
• kaizen
• 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