DEIFY Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

deify

verb

ˈdē-ə-ˌfī

Definition of deify

as in to adore

to love or admire too much materialistic people who deify money

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 deify As a consequence, people, still possessed by religious longings, tend to deify the country. — Ha Jin july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for deify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deify

Verb

Victorians adored houseplants and incorporated them into their interiors with gleeful maximalist excess.

— Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026
The evening was a fitting toast to the shoe maestro, who celebrated his past, present and future alongside an adoring Milan Fashion Week crowd and influential actresses and models, including Naomi Watts.

— Katie Abel, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of adore

Verb

Reed, venerated for his solo artistry and collaborations with the Velvet Underground, is a quintessential New York City artist of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
The kids who venerate McQueen as a fashion figurehead these days, after all, are likely to be found at the Cyberdog, just like McGirr once was.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of venerate

Verb

Seeking new crypto money, Christie’s and Sotheby’s cut all other legitimizing actors out of the loop with NFTs, elevating what might previously have been categorized as illustration, graphic art, or a social media meme to the status of fine art.

— Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Leave it to Skip Rutherford to elevate the level of public discourse.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

Though there are multiple interpretations of sharia, its essence is to serve as a code for how Muslims should live and worship — covering such matters as prayer, pilgrimages, fasting, charitable donations and personal virtue.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
The species' non-linear approach to time, coupled with a penchant for making giant space vortices their home, suggests they're closely related to the wormhole aliens, aka Prophets, worshipped by the Bajorans.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of worship

Verb

In the same month Netflix released Train Dreams, the film version of Denis Johnson’s revered short novel about a logger whose deceased baby daughter visits him in the form of a wolf.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Journalists identified the source of the album as Beck’s falling out with Leigh, and critics revered the LP as proof Beck had grown up as a songwriter, abandoning the old doggerel.

— Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of revere

Verb

Inspired by his legacy, cofounders George and Amal Clooney created the Albies to ensure that the people doing the hardest work to promote justice — often far from the spotlight — are seen, heard and protected.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
Around two dozen states have enacted some version of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which has been heavily promoted at the state and federal level by the AKA.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of promote

Verb

The need to be liked makes brands write polished statements aimed at everyone watching while the person actually affected waits.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Leo appeals to loftier questions about life Unlike Francis, who liked to travel to small Catholic communities far from Rome, Leo has been keen to emphasize and reawaken Europe’s Christian roots.

— Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

Her dense imagery, exalting family and the Black communities of her native Columbus, Ohio, made her one of America’s great storytellers in any medium.

— Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Mercury is exalted in Virgo until September 10, so the first part of the month is a good time to get into the logistical weeds about it.

— Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of exalt

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“Deify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deify. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of deify

verb

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