glorify

verb

glo·​ri·​fy ˈglȯr-ə-ˌfī 

glorified; glorifying

transitive verb

1

a

: to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration

b

: to elevate to celestial glory

2

: to light up brilliantly

Chandeliers glorified the entire room.

3

a

: to represent as glorious : extol

a song glorifying romantic love

b

: to cause to be or seem to be better than the actual condition

the new position is just a glorified version of the old stockroom job

4

: to give glory to (as in worship)

glorification

ˌglȯr-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

glorifier

ˈglȯr-ə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms of glorify

• elevate
• promote
• exalt

Examples of glorify in a Sentence

Glorify and give thanks to God.

a number of big names were recruited in the hopes that their presence would glorify the university's school of medicine in the eyes of the medical world

Recent Examples on the Web

Elon Musk, once glorified as a technological genius, has come under fire for making bigoted and antisemitic comments. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa presents Imperium, about a film commissioned by the Italian Communist Party to glorify Soviet triumph that ended up exposing its contradictions instead. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Westerns are often thought to glorify the violence and vigilantism of the 19th-century towns on the expanding American border. — David Faris, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026

In a press conference after the hearing, officials sent their condolences to Thompson’s family, while excoriating those who glorified Mangione. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English glorifien, from Anglo-French glorifier, from Late Latin glorificare, from gloria

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for glorify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

glorify

verb

glo·​ri·​fy ˈglōr-ə-ˌfī 

ˈglȯr-

glorified; glorifying

1

: worship entry 2 sense 1, adore

2

: to praise highly

3

: to present in a highly often overly favorable light

glorify war

glorification

ˌglōr-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ˌglȯr-

noun

glorifier

ˈglōr-ə-fī(-ə)r 

ˈglȯr-

noun