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 This is the Tricky sound canonized. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026 After her death she was canonized by the Catholic Church and recognized as the patron saint of immigrants. — Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Early reports of the relationship between the Marists and the parish canonize it as a perfect match. — Hannah Brueske, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026 Four years ago, the Church canonized him as a saint. — Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 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
  • Tight end Eric Saubert played for him in San Francisco and adored the coach’s wit back then.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Hilary Shoulder Bag is from JW Pei, the brand that Oprah, Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, Anne Hathaway, and droves of other A-listers adore.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • Sovereign debt loads are already elevated across much of the world, and refinancing maturing debt at higher rates will progressively increase interest costs and strain public finances.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Hot Docs, the world-class documentary film festival in Toronto, has announced some major personnel moves – elevating Diana Sanchez to president and bringing in Mara Gourd-Mercado to succeed Sanchez as executive director.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of elevate
Verb
  • The latter is embodied by an underground race of telepathic mutants who worship an unexploded nuclear bomb and find themselves in conflict with the apes, as well as the few surviving humans, on the way to a finale that out-tragedies the original.
    — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • With only Lucien, a freshly out twink with more heart than abs, still by his side, Jim must race to find a cure before the disease erases the community that once worshipped him.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of worship
Verb
  • The most important step countries can collectively take is to promote innovation.
    — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But it is increasingly shaped by what’s happening on the other side of the country, in Washington, where the federal government is working to slow the transition to EVs and promote a fossil fuel future for America.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • Vance went on to speak highly of Thune, who is widely liked by his fellow Republican lawmakers in the Senate.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That Ballmer’s fellow owners like and respect him, though, did not keep them from wanting the Clippers to be punished, and severely, if the accusations proved true.
    — David Aldridge, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • LeVota issued an executive order supporting the tax program on July 4, and the Jackson County Legislature voted the following week to enshrine the program into law by adding it to the county code.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The sovereignty claim is enshrined in Argentina’s constitution and frequently invoked as an expression of national identity, from banknotes to World Cup soccer chants.
    — Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of enshrine

Browse Nearby Words

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 9 Sep. 2026.

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