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
Los Angeles educators were also directed to immediately shift from lionizing Chávez to honoring instead the farmworkers’ movement.
—
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
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Take for example, Arnel Pante, a Lana'i native and longtime server at One Forty, who without batting an eye honored my off-the-menu breakfast request for a small, side order of oatmeal with blueberries, kiwi, and almonds, to accompany an egg white frittata.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Held on Monday, May 18, this year’s Lincoln Center Spring Gala honored the Downeys at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, currently home to the Broadway revival of the musical Ragtime.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Verb
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In an inversion of the more common critical reception of an emerging artist, this new writer’s poetry was often noticed but seldom admired, notwithstanding the Daily Mirror’s snide enthusiasm.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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From island hopping along the always-sunny Maldives and admiring pink sands in the Bahamas, to coconut mangrove-trekking in the Philippines and biking past pineapple fields in French Polynesia, tropical charm manifests in an array of ways.—
Skyli Alvarez,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Characters that remain immensely popular and revered nearly 50 years after their inception.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
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In the Sixties, all the English dudes revered the lineage of Black American music.—
St. Vincent,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
Verb
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In a culture where age is venerated, the banyan is the oldest living thing most people will encounter here.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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Our Lady of Guadalupe is represented pregnant and venerated by devotees seeking protection and peace.—
Marie-Claire Beaulieu,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Jupiter — exalted in Cancer — brings expansion to themes of intuition, emotional intelligence, family bonds and home life.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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Onstage, Michael is exalted, transfigured, fully alive, with neither fear nor shame.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Language access, cultural competency and workforce representation all play critical role in helping people feel respected, heard and supported throughout the healing journey.—
Maria Bledsoe,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
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As always, the Diocese will continue its full cooperation with law enforcement and respects the legal process now underway.—
Patrick Damp,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Another shopper praised its significant support.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
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Drivers spoke at length on Saturday about his accomplishments, praising his toughness, competitive spirit and penchant for speaking his mind — all of which earned him a reputation as NASCAR’s villain.—
Steve Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Those critics referenced the golden calf idol worshipped by the Israelites before Moses returned from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments in the Book of Exodus.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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For nearly five centuries, emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties came here to worship Heaven and pray for good harvests.—
Xianda Huang,
The Conversation,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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