as in exalting
Related Words
Relevance
1
as in adoring
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in elevating
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 canonizing
Ryan Broderick, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
Almost all the speakers leaned into deeply religious themes, canonizing Kirk and reflecting on his dedication as a Christian.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Ryan believes that canonizing Kirk as the patron saint of MAGA may have backfired in a subtle but important way.
—Ryan Broderick, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
Almost all the speakers leaned into deeply religious themes, canonizing Kirk and reflecting on his dedication as a Christian.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canonizing
Verb
-
Loyal and reliable, Dogs are both adoring and adored—the best friends in the Zodiac.—
Kyle Lucia Wu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Often decked out in her Girl Scout vest and speaking in a soft voice, the question has earned her thousands of sales and adoring fans on TikTok.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Other staff at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission proposed elevating the Boarmans’ case to the agency’s administrative law court to further evaluate the cause of the pollution and pursue potential enforcement.—
Nick Bowlin,
The Frontier,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The Chens aren’t the only ones elevating Chinese cuisine.—
Terry Tang,
Fortune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After a childhood spent worshipping the Ramones and the Replacements, Billie Joe Armstrong co-founded Green Day with bassist Mike Dirnt in 1987.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Freedom of religion Those who were worshipping at Cities Church when the service was disrupted also have a First Amendment right to practice their religion.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Prominent surfing family Van Dyke, originally from Santa Cruz, California, was recognized in the international surfing community for his participation in competitions and his influence in promoting the sport in the Caribbean region.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Irving, who was not playing in the All-Star Game, was traded to the Dallas Mavericks from the Brooklyn Nets in 2023 shortly after promoting an antisemitic film on his Twitter account and at first refusing to apologize for the tweet.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For those of us who grew up idolizing the 38-year singer and actor, that candor is classic Hilary.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Regenda grew up idolizing other Slovakian stars like Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Pavol Demitra, and Zdeno Chara.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canonizing. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
