LIONIZED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

lionized

verb

past tense of lionize

as in admired

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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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 lionized Soaring energy prices and inflation have added to the burden as the tourism sector struggles to draw visitors to landscapes lionized in Hollywood by Peter O’Toole, Harrison Ford and Matt Damon. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 Fauci, 85, truly one of humanity’s great public health heroes, will be lionized in history long after mediocrities like Paul, Uthmeier and Scott have been relegated to footnotes. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026 Greenspan was the rare celebrity among central bankers, lionized for his economic stewardship in the 1990s — and a reputation tarnished by the global financial crisis of 2008. — June 22, 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 Nursing has long been lionized as one of the most stable and safe professions for young graduates to pursue. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026 His work here should be respected, not lionized. — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026 Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero. — CBS News, 21 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionized

Verb

The car was purchased brand new in 1983 after Trevino's grandmother spotted it at a dealership and admired it.

— Ashley Williams, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Paris is admired worldwide for aesthetic beauty, but the city kept hitting the news for another reason in recent months as record-breaking highs climbed beyond 40 C (104 F) on the roasting streets.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of admired

Verb

Donna Smith, McAuley’s first coach, and a few members of the first state championship team were honored before Friday’s match.

— Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
On the eve of a milestone album, country music legend Randy Travis will be honored by his native Union County on Saturday at the music festival named in his honor.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of honored

Verb

De Kooning, arguably the most widely revered of America’s 20th-century avant-garde artists, took the language of drawing, ripped it up, and rearranged it.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026
Tuscany has been home to clay pits revered for fine terra-cotta wine vessels used for production and storage since the time of the Etruscans, and many wineries still use local clay in addition to venturing further afield in Italy and Europe.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of revered

Verb

Board members praised staff for continuing to balance the budget in light of ongoing problems with property tax distributions, which have created budget holes for some school districts.

— Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Santiago’s Manhattan victim, Sarah Clark, spoke at the press conference following the sentencing and praised the new DNA technology that linked her attacker to the crime.

— Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of praised

Verb

Yet, he was announced as the player of the match in the stadium, is adored and respected by fans and coaches alike at Bournemouth, and his qualities will inevitably bring external transfer interest.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Emirati executive Taher, who is well-respected in the Arab business community, was appointed as its first chairwoman to work alongside Abrian, who remains involved in making Dubai the Gulf’s definitive fashion week.

— Sujata Assomull, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of respected

Verb

The man was Frank McCourt, Stuyvesant’s venerated creative writing teacher.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Other venerated South Side joints included Pepper’s Lounge, the Dew Drop Inn, and Theresa’s Lounge, the latter of which was tucked away in the basement of an apartment building.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Definition of venerated

Verb

Austrian by birth, celebrated for his artistry with cocktails and worshipped by the most refined drinkers in Europe and America, the man is a legend in the world of luxury.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
With only Lucien, a freshly out twink with more heart than abs, still by his side, Jim must race to find a cure before the disease erases the community that once worshipped him.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of worshipped

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“Lionized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionized. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of lionized

verb

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