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 Italian-Americans even launched a campaign to have the explorer canonized. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026 The film doesn’t canonize Heumann, instead showing her as dedicated leader who is also prickly, brash, and set in her ways. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026 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 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
  • An outgoing kid from the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, who adored his little sister, Burch never regained consciousness.
    — Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • No other branch takes such delight in going its own way, regularly giving a cold shoulder to titles the rest of the industry adores.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • That production is the wrinkle that elevates Seventhirty’s lyrics from modern dating podcast material to pure melodrama.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The guides elevate the safari experience by representing different places and people of Namibia, from the coastal cities of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay to the Himba in the far north-west and the Khwe Bushmen of the north-east.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of elevate
Verb
  • Its magical forest is filled with talking animals, tree-worshipping mystics, scheming functionaries, and the Dowager Governess (Carey Mulligan), an enchantress who commands an army of uniformed coyotes.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The long history of prejudice As religious studies scholar Michael Altman argues, the charge that Hindus worship false gods and idols took hold in American national culture nearly two centuries ago.
    — Arun Brahmbhatt, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of worship
Verb
  • Chater doesn’t disagree, particularly as promoting the album has prompted more conversations about the subject.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Abe Flores, deputy director of Create CA, a nonprofit advocacy group that promotes arts education for California students, said the challenges SCUSD cited were not unique to the district.
    — Chaewon Chung Updated October 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • Terry Kay liked to tell the story of how he was coerced into writing his first novel by Pat Conroy, who told his literary agent Kay had written a brilliant manuscript.
    — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • And yet, when CNN Sports asked to speak with people who bet on sports but don’t like prediction markets partnering with sports leagues, teams or athletes themselves, Allison was among the dozens of fans who reached out.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • Korean box dyes, candies and hangover cures enshrine the cash register.
    — Vanessa Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In early 2025, DeSantis wanted the Legislature to enshrine Hope Florida into state law.
    — Christopher Spata, Miami Herald, 17 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 24 Oct. 2026.

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