as in to honor
to treat (someone) as a very important and famous person
She was lionized everywhere after her novel won the Pulitzer Prize.
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Recent Examples of lionize
Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero.
—
CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
To see that kind of big-budget artistry properly lionized, given some of the duds the Academy has recognized in recent years—I’m looking at you, Green Book—felt like a true triumph.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
In some cases, books that failed to lionize fallen Irish heroes were put on the chopping block.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lionize
CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
To see that kind of big-budget artistry properly lionized, given some of the duds the Academy has recognized in recent years—I’m looking at you, Green Book—felt like a true triumph.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
In some cases, books that failed to lionize fallen Irish heroes were put on the chopping block.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
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June 21 – July 22 Stability today comes from honoring both your needs and your responsibilities.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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The actor was honored with the Palm Springs International Film Festival Rising Star Award for his turn in that pic.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Haitian fans have long admired the Brazilian team and fashion their play after the Brazilian fancy-passing style.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 May 2026
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The moment was especially impactful given that Delany had spent most of her childhood admiring the Oscar-winning actor.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Though Washington is revered today, his position was extremely fragile at the time, Kesten said, gesturing at an image of a painting of von Steuben and Washington.—
Amanda Rosa
Updated April 28,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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Last month, the 55-year-old DeCosta became known to legions of fans — especially those who revere the Raiders — for something far less flattering.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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People were so eager to venerate his remains that skulls of his magically multiplied.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Jellicle Ball joins that lineage, inviting its audience to experience the joys of the Black and Latino ball scene while venerating its bittersweet roots.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Onstage, Michael is exalted, transfigured, fully alive, with neither fear nor shame.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Production is either exalted or explained away.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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America’s refusal dates back to the nineteen-nineties; considering this, the current Administration’s actions can be seen only as a shameful continuation of our country’s failure to respect human rights, even on its own soil.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Lloyd is respected around the league and is valued as a networker with many European connections, which was instrumental in the Wolves’ drafting of French center Joan Beringer last summer.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Birds aren’t the only ones who love this design; many reviewers can’t stop praising its functionality and aesthetic.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2026
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Some of Will and Kate's Instagram followers picked up on the polish, praising the parents for allowing their daughter to buck unspoken traditions that call for muted, demure nails.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
2 May 2026
Verb
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But although resistance is similarly futile, their goals are less about assimilation than worshipping the obsessive Grant's wife, Starla (Elizabeth Banks).—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
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The task force — which included numerous Cabinet secretaries — didn't accuse the Biden administration of any large pattern of suppressing churches themselves or the right to worship.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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