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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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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And what's left is this core that adores each other.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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Presidents are usually removed from voters, separated by layers of security and surrounded by adoring subordinates.—
Michelle L. Price,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the evenings, Sankofa hosts film screenings and book talks to elevate the work of Black filmmakers and authors.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
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Just coming in, being able to get a fresh start, being able to get around some great people and just being able to elevate at the end of the day.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cage fans already knew the actor could play twisted roles well, but his demented performance as the Satan-worshipping killer still disturbed and delighted audiences.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
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There’s even a Sikh gurdwara on-site for the staff and anyone else who wants to visit or worship.—
David Williams,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Twins plan to promote Kendry Rojas to the big-league roster in time for Tuesday’s series opener at the New York Mets, according to a team source.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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The busy World's Most Beautiful cover star is promoting two films at the same time, and appears to be rocking bangs for her Devil Wears Prada 2 press and her regular face-framing layers for Mother Mary events (like this one, a week after the one above).—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Adam Wharton, 22, is liked by people at United for his progressive passing and decisiveness on the ball.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Newsom likes to talk about us as the fourth-biggest economy in the world.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Investigative grand juries cannot return indictments against defendants, but they are often used to enshrine evidence and subpoena witnesses for a future criminal proceeding.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Collins was previously enshrined in 2010 as a member of Genesis, while Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan made the cut during their first year on the ballot.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canonize. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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