1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much
materialistic people who deify money
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to venerate
to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power
some ancient pagans deified such objects of nature as trees and rivers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to elevate
to assign a high status or value to
the sense of entitlement felt by athletes who have been deified all their lives
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deify
Giuliani was pretty unpopular by the end of his second term and then 9/11 happened and he was deified.
—
Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025
While the titan from Krypton can often seem stoic and deified, Corenswet's Kal-El can be quite passionate about his views and express them loudly.
—EW.com, 10 June 2025
His resume speaks for itself — no need for the on-air cast to go overboard in deifying him.
—Richard Deitsch, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
That should have been seemingly enough for Schmidt to be deified in Philadelphia.
—John Perrotto, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deify
Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025
While the titan from Krypton can often seem stoic and deified, Corenswet's Kal-El can be quite passionate about his views and express them loudly.
—EW.com, 10 June 2025
His resume speaks for itself — no need for the on-air cast to go overboard in deifying him.
—Richard Deitsch, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
That should have been seemingly enough for Schmidt to be deified in Philadelphia.
—John Perrotto, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deify
Verb
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Salvias are adored for their abundant blooms which attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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Hollywood creates silver screen narratives adored by the world, but its institution for visual art was getting lapped by smaller cities.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dozens of firearms also were recovered, including handguns with images of Santa Muerte (a Mexican folk saint venerated by drug dealers) and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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In ancient Greece certain mortals who had achieved kleos (glory or fame) in life were venerated in death.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This faux leather midi skirt is elegant and can be elevated with a crisp white shirt or cashmere cardigan.—
Alexandra Pereira,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Wise’s essential deployment of tension is absent without the compressed grain that elevates it.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s missiles are aimed at the idea that nations can modernize, rights can expand and people can worship freely.—
Calev Myers,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
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In one story, the king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship him and was irked when his own son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, disobeyed his command.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The ballets that dancers revere most and that companies rely on to fill theaters are mostly fairytales or Shakespearean tragedies about straight couples—Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet—in which the woman dies or is turned into a bird.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
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The one exception might be Scott Peacock’s recipe, which is as revered as the man himself and was the starting point for Quittner’s own biscuit journey.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Peterson was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and appointed chief in 2011.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2026
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Colleagues came to know her as steady and disciplined, someone others could depend on, and in 1996 she was promoted to assistant city manager.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rahman is a security software engineer and likes to study disinformation patterns.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Eleanor’s view Trump has never liked a loser.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And martyrs are exalted in Shiite Islam, Iran’s prevalent faith.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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Boyes, too, exalts the elephants like a man possessed.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deify. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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