1
as in to curse
to ask a divine power to send harm or evil upon
heretics anathematized by the church leaders
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to denounce
to declare to be morally wrong or evil
fundamentalist preachers who anathematize any departure from a literal interpretation of the Bible
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Recent Examples of anathematize
In a democracy, the question of what to do about climate change and for that matter the decision to anathematize entire sectors of the economy ought to be matters for voters not moneymen.
—
Andrew Stuttaford,
National Review,
9 Dec. 2020
Still, some people now reflexively anathematize this brilliant novel because its self-justifying, unreliable narrator is a pedophile.
—
Michael Dirda,
Washington Post,
1 Jan. 2020
And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this truce, by the authority of God and with the sanction of this Council he shall be anathematized.
—
James Carroll,
The New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2017
In some ways, the grotesqueries of his persona, rather than anathematizing him to voters, only enhanced his appeal among those wishing for something different.
—
Jamelle Bouie,
Slate Magazine,
24 Jan. 2017
Andrew Stuttaford,
National Review,
9 Dec. 2020
Still, some people now reflexively anathematize this brilliant novel because its self-justifying, unreliable narrator is a pedophile.
—
Michael Dirda,
Washington Post,
1 Jan. 2020
And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this truce, by the authority of God and with the sanction of this Council he shall be anathematized.
—
James Carroll,
The New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2017
In some ways, the grotesqueries of his persona, rather than anathematizing him to voters, only enhanced his appeal among those wishing for something different.
—
Jamelle Bouie,
Slate Magazine,
24 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anathematize
Verb
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Unlike Tithonus, cursed to age forever, electoral rules can and should be renewed.
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The bio-andy reached the top of the stairs, and Neusch cursed the way the verdant plants had been allowed to flourish, narrowing the balcony.
Verb
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Activists and faith leaders denounced the conditions at the office during a press conference the previous day, calling on officials to visit the facility and said there had been bad conditions at the facility for weeks.
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Prosecutors call Hearn’s actions a deliberate, violent act causing more than $1,000 in damage, and his attorneys denounce the case as an alarming misuse of government power.
Verb
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Eight of the primary winners who condemned the Gaza conflict were backed by American Priorities, a new pro-Palestinian super PAC supporting candidates who have been critical of Israel’s military actions.
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Lot is often described in the Qurʾān, and in subsequent interpretive traditions, in the role of condemning the men of Sodom for lusting after men rather than women.
Verb
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The program posed a massive political problem for Mamdani, who’s been criticized by both his allies and opponents for his stance.
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While state studies have criticized the state’s education governance model, voters have rejected at least four attempts dating back to 1928 to reform the position.
Verb
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Before the earthquakes, the government generally defended its national health system as robust, blaming shortcomings on sanctions imposed by the United States.
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This ruling compels companies to confront systemic biases embedded in their hiring data, rather than solely blaming technology.
Cite this Entry
“Anathematize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anathematize. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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