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

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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 Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized by Pope Paul VI, becoming the first person born in what's now the United States to be named a Roman Catholic saint. — USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 By Christmas it had been canonized as the pinnacle of ‘sad girl lit’ with Martha taking her place in that post-Fleabag lineage of fractured female characters. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 English added that the name was also inspired by Maria Adelaide, a Portuguese woman who is considered an honorary saint despite never being officially canonized. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 The poem is nearly 3,000 years old, emerging centuries before the New Testament was canonized. — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 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
  • Gore says his commitment to Hammer, his first major acquisition in the film world, is backed by a deeply personal connection, having adored its horrors while growing up in the late 60s and 70s.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Ming and Wah are ten-year-old twins who adore a good mystery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • Analysts anticipate that gold prices will remain constrained in the short term by a strong US dollar and elevated US Treasury yields.
    — , CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While the property’s extensive and expensive renovation has elevated nearly every corner of the resort, the room doors appear to have been overlooked.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of elevate
Verb
  • The government characterized Lemon as part of the demonstration, arguing his actions at a church crossed the line from a reporting to a protesting role, violating the First Amendment right to worship and freedom of religion.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
  • During the days leading up to Vijayadashami, the goddess Durga is worshipped in her various forms as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of worship
Verb
  • The group emphasized that its request isn't intended to promote robocalls.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The actor stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote their latest film, Digger (and gamely participate in a cooking segment with Wishbone Kitchen).
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • The leader of the breakfast and lunch chain, which brings in over $1 billion in annual revenue, likes to break bread with staffers rather than hide away in a corner office.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Overcast Milan was looking even grayer than I’d have liked, but I was heartened by a gracious welcome at the Park Hyatt, tucked away on a side street of the Piazza del Duomo.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • But this would not work unless their citizenship was enshrined.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Ditka was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 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 12 Oct. 2026.

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