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
-
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
-
At first glance Hathaway, who won an Oscar for her heartfelt musical performance in Les Misérables, is still not my idea of the kind of risk-taking music superstar who can command arenas full of adoring fans.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Several potential reforms could address this vulnerability, including allowing write-in candidates in general elections, automatically elevating the third-place primary vote-getter when a primary winner withdraws, or abandoning the top-two system entirely to restore party-nominating primaries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The new collection is rooted in elevating everyday pieces that overlap with Beckham’s aesthetic and Gap’s most popular styles.—
Kristen Bateman,
Vogue,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
One raunchy session from 1975 with a lover named Mike Karton begins with Peter worshipping Karton’s jockstrap in his Second Avenue loft.—
Andrew Durbin,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The former First Lady, 62, delivered one show-stopping ensemble after another while promoting her book The Look.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Paris prosecutor’s office opened last year an investigation into TikTok over allegations that the platform allows content promoting suicide and that its algorithms may encourage vulnerable young people to take their own lives.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Having access to the network of former UConn superstars is still surreal for Vukosa, who grew up idolizing Breanna Stewart and attends the same high school as Hall of Famer Sue Bird and WNBA MVP Tina Charles.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
-
McGonigle grew up idolizing Phillies legend Chase Utley, who is going into the club's Wall of Fame in August.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canonizing. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
