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
Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia.
—
Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
Patriot reenactors insisted that their aim is not to lionize the Americans.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
The movie’s frank depiction of Mishima’s bisexual obsessions and radical political drive, not to mention the involvement of foreign filmmakers like Schrader, Coppola and Lucas, drew a boycott from Mishima’s widow and incensed the ultra-right-wing political groups that continued to lionize him.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Progressives should condemn these killers and do whatever is in their power to push back on the voices that lionize them, and the toxic social media algorithms that boost those voices.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
Patriot reenactors insisted that their aim is not to lionize the Americans.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
The movie’s frank depiction of Mishima’s bisexual obsessions and radical political drive, not to mention the involvement of foreign filmmakers like Schrader, Coppola and Lucas, drew a boycott from Mishima’s widow and incensed the ultra-right-wing political groups that continued to lionize him.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Progressives should condemn these killers and do whatever is in their power to push back on the voices that lionize them, and the toxic social media algorithms that boost those voices.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
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In a media timeout, midway through the first half, former coach Jim Harrick (who led UCLA to its 11th national championship in 1995) was honored and got a loud ovation.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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When making travel plans, be sure to honor the preferences of everyone sharing the journey as much as possible.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Josh Kesselman, the founder of Raw Rolling Papers, stopped to admire a display case at Torches, a high-end legal cannabis dispensary near Grand Central Terminal.—
Mark Yarm,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
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Furthermore, some people will admire you, especially in a romantic way.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In scientific circles however, he’s revered.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
2 Mar. 2026
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So, within a week, again, the marketplace viewed Blue Owl, a big and recently revered firm, as the point of pain.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
1 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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And martyrs are exalted in Shiite Islam, Iran’s prevalent faith.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Boyes, too, exalts the elephants like a man possessed.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Choose speech that respects every voice involved.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
-
But Paton respected the history in Denver.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, praised Jackson as a peacemaker and humanitarian.—
Matt Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Owner António Silva, 66, has been running his no-frills charcoal-grill shop for four decades, but his newfound fame started after he was praised online by a Chinese influencer.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Thankfully, Lundy and two other leaders of the anti-ICE group were arrested by and charged with conspiring and interfering with the worshippers’ First Amendment rights to worship.—
Houston Keene,
Boston Herald,
1 Mar. 2026
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The Justice Department said the demonstration interfered with constitutional rights to worship.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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