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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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
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Recent Examples of canonize
Walpole was canonized as a saint in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
—
Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
He's known for reshaping the Scottish government, expanding royal authority and being one of the few Scottish kings to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
In the days after Kirk’s killing, that concern spilled into public view, as attempts by Netanyahu and prominent supporters of Israel to canonize the Turning Point founder as a Zionist to the end were refuted by Kirk’s close associates, many of whom are major players in the MAGA movement.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The teen died of leukemia in 2006 and was canonized in September.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canonize
Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
He's known for reshaping the Scottish government, expanding royal authority and being one of the few Scottish kings to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
In the days after Kirk’s killing, that concern spilled into public view, as attempts by Netanyahu and prominent supporters of Israel to canonize the Turning Point founder as a Zionist to the end were refuted by Kirk’s close associates, many of whom are major players in the MAGA movement.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The teen died of leukemia in 2006 and was canonized in September.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canonize
Verb
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Salvias are adored for their abundant blooms which attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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Hollywood creates silver screen narratives adored by the world, but its institution for visual art was getting lapped by smaller cities.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This faux leather midi skirt is elegant and can be elevated with a crisp white shirt or cashmere cardigan.—
Alexandra Pereira,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Wise’s essential deployment of tension is absent without the compressed grain that elevates it.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s missiles are aimed at the idea that nations can modernize, rights can expand and people can worship freely.—
Calev Myers,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
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In one story, the king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship him and was irked when his own son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, disobeyed his command.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Peterson was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and appointed chief in 2011.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2026
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Colleagues came to know her as steady and disciplined, someone others could depend on, and in 1996 she was promoted to assistant city manager.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rahman is a security software engineer and likes to study disinformation patterns.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Eleanor’s view Trump has never liked a loser.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And unlike many gyms, where the culture can drift into impersonality, Iron Bodyfit enshrines the human element at every turn, from face-to-face scheduling instead of app booking to personal check-ins that make members feel remembered.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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Switzerland voted to enshrine the availability of cash in its constitution, assenting to a push designed to guard against the demise of physical money.—
Bastian Benrath-Wright,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canonize. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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