canonize

verb

ˈka-nə-ˌnīz How to pronounce canonize (audio)
Definition of canonizenext
1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much a singing star so canonized by his fans that they refuse to believe anything bad about him

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to elevate
to assign a high status or value to those movie buffs who have canonized Alfred Hitchcock as filmdom's preeminent director

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of canonize She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1995. — CNN Money, 13 May 2026 Gaudí is on the path to possible sainthood, but he won’t be canonized during the pope’s trip, Spain’s bishops said Wednesday. — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026 Gaudí is on the path to possible sainthood, but he won't be canonized during the pope's trip, Spain's bishops said Wednesday. — ABC News, 6 May 2026 From ancient epics to contemporary headlines, humans have spent centuries canonizing courage as a rare and admirable virtue. — Cynthia Pury, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for canonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canonize
  1. adore
  2. elevate
  3. worship
  4. promote
  5. like
  6. enshrine
Verb
  • Jackson, his sisters said, adored math and video games like Fortnite and Roblox.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
  • And like their counterparts in Oakland (and lately in Boston as well), the Angels’ adoring fans have started chanting their wants and desires, hoping that a change at the top will make this franchise relevant again.
    — Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • His stature as the greatest ever keeps rising, elevating, growing.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • There’s just a better version lurking inside, one that could’ve elevated the action-chase genre instead of merely loitering there.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
Definition of elevate
Verb
  • Inside, inscriptions bearing Paser's name depict him worshipping various deities inside shrines, as well as seated with his wife before an offering table.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • But for the peoples who worshipped there, that land was the church.
    — Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 9 July 2026
Definition of worship
Verb
  • Instead of promoting their efforts, Republican lawmakers were left scrambling when the president abruptly withdrew his support over a separate political fight.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The British Museum move, meanwhile, is a public happening organized as part of a citywide art trail to promote a world tour around BTS’s latest album.
    — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • Shilpa's incredible pie crust has cream cheese in it or there are many pie makers that like to use lard or shortenings.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 July 2026
  • And what that’s telling us is that there’s a molecule, ozone in that case, that really likes to absorb that wavelength of light and therefore make the planet appear a little bit larger.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 July 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • By the will of the people, the coast was enshrined in state law as a precious public asset accessible to the many, not a private playground fenced off for the few.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Each summit is meant to showcase the commitment to collective security — the all-for-one, one-for-all pledge enshrined in Article 5 of NATO’s treaty.
    — Lorne Cook, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of enshrine

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canonical
canonize
canonized
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Cite this Entry

“Canonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canonize. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on canonize

Nglish: Translation of canonize for Spanish Speakers

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