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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 She was beatified by Pope Urban VIII in 1627, and canonized by Pope Leo XIII on May 24, 1900. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 She was canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI to become Saint Bernadette. — ABC News, 24 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 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
  • The two shared a friendship adored by fans, often seen greeting each other with an affectionate kiss on the lips whether on TV programs or on the red carpet.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Stewart was adored by his collaborators and the public alike.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • Police say subway surfers do it before and after school hours, mostly where tracks are elevated.
    — Dave Carlin, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Last month during Big Ten basketball media days, Petitti argued that elevating the meaning of such games was the point of expansion — beyond the unspoken benefit of additional money.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of elevate
Verb
  • Pantone, a universal system for accurately specifying colors, and worshipped by designers and printers around the world, sells a straightforward ruler ($29).
    — Nicholas Blechman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Stevie Wonder wanted to talk with me, the little boy who worshipped his music straight into adulthood?
    — Kevin Powell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of worship
Verb
  • Popular iHeartRadio hosts and other social media personalities have been promoting them online as well.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Mendoza had his chance to run the first-team offense Wednesday for the first time since he was promoted.
    — Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of promote
Verb
  • And Democrats of all stripes, the ones that Faiz likes, the one that Lis likes, and any in between, were the happy beneficiaries of it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Others don't like the implication that the event is somehow a ruse to meet a significant other, rather than a way to just meet people in general.
    — Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • More recently, in 2023, Australians voted against enshrining an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, an advisory body that would have given First Nations people a formal say on the decisions that affect them.
    — Liam Freeman, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In a bill submitted to Congress on Monday night titled the Diwali Day Act, Democratic Congresswoman Grace Meng proposes enshrining Diwali as a federal holiday as a rebuttal to the rising tide of South Asian prejudice.
    — Tom Sanders, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 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 15 Nov. 2026.

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