LIONIZE Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

lionize

verb

Definition of lionize

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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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 lionize In the early days of the war, Union troops from Boston had borrowed the familiar melody of a religious camp meeting song and added new lyrics lionizing John Brown, the leader of the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 There are episodes that reflect the tendency to lionize the Founders in a way that is incomplete. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026 Greenspan was the rare celebrity among central bankers, lionized for his economic stewardship in the 1990s. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 22 June 2026 Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lionize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize

Verb

And while the brand continues to honor its heritage, Giraco said Dom Pérignon is always looking ahead and evolving.

— Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
Pingyao also honored Marco Müller and Han Sanping with the International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award, and producer Tang Yan, founder of Hello Group, which owns social app Momo, with the 10th Anniversary Award.

— Jenny S. Li, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of honor

Verb

Helen admired pheasants and kept their long, rusty feathers in her sewing room.

— Tom Drury, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
Along the way, stop at Claife Viewing Station, which was originally built in the 1790s for early visitors to admire the landscape.

— Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of admire

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

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

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

Verb

His character was deeply respected in the Hazzard community, often acting as a steadying influence amid the chaos.

— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026
As a result, in Lourdes the question of respecting even the most frail, sick and vulnerable is particularly acute.

— Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of respect

Verb

Jonathan Cohen, who leads gambling policy at the American Institute for Boys and Men, praised these moves but said their impact may be limited, pointing to data from state regulators showing that few gamblers utilize similar tools on sportsbooks.

— Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also praised the passengers who stepped up and noted in his statement that investigation is still ongoing.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of praise

Browse Nearby Words

lionizations

lionize

lionized

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“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of lionize

verb

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