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
She’s been lionized, condemned (even sometimes by the left), mocked, dismissed, revered, and occasionally rediscovered.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
Hugo returned to a hero’s welcome, and to the establishment of the Third Republic, which lionized him until it, too, was at last destroyed by the same forces of reactionary authoritarianism, in new uniforms, in 1940.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
His life wasn’t cut short like the lives of Jimi Hendrix or John Lennon, which was great, but also meant that he wasn’t lionized as a brilliant comet gone too soon.
—Ben Greenman, Pitchfork, 10 June 2025
Since his arrest in Pennsylvania earlier this week, Luigi Mangione has been the subject of memes, which have lionized his physique and appearance.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lionize
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
Hugo returned to a hero’s welcome, and to the establishment of the Third Republic, which lionized him until it, too, was at last destroyed by the same forces of reactionary authoritarianism, in new uniforms, in 1940.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
His life wasn’t cut short like the lives of Jimi Hendrix or John Lennon, which was great, but also meant that he wasn’t lionized as a brilliant comet gone too soon.
—Ben Greenman, Pitchfork, 10 June 2025
Since his arrest in Pennsylvania earlier this week, Luigi Mangione has been the subject of memes, which have lionized his physique and appearance.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
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Many visitors also head down the block to see the Woody Guthrie Center, a museum honoring Dylan’s hero Woody Guthrie.—
Gary Stoller,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Other events include a Zapp Band concert honoring Bootsy Collins, a Lord Huron concert, and the Women Who Drum Festival. Summer 2025 is still chugging along, and there are several major opportunities to enjoy live entertainment this weekend.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Or, simply admire the talent that manifests throughout Sewanee.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
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Nearly 100 years later, Shalimar remains one of the world’s best-selling fragrances, still admired, collected and worn across generations.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Her final novel, The Blue Flower, about a romance in the early life of Novalis, was so revered by American critics that that National Book Critics Circle changed their rules for eligibility to include books published in the US.—
Jane Ciabattari
August 12,
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
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Former managers Dale Sveum and Rick Renteria weren’t blamed for all the losing in the rebuild years from 2012-14, and Joe Maddon was widely revered after making the NL Championship Series in his first year and ending the World Series title drought in his second.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The church has received visitors and pilgrims for decades who venerate the saint's faith.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
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Fans drive what art gets created, what products get made, who gets canceled, and who gets venerated.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Vuitton’s longstanding cultural exchanges with Japan are a recurring topic throughout the Osaka exhibition, and are exalted in a dedicated room outfitted with tatami platforms and lighting.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
14 July 2025
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There is something peculiar and exalted in the moment.—
Jayson Greene,
Time,
17 June 2025
Verb
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That what their songs added up to was a full-scale vision of the ins and outs of love and loss and romance and pain and desire and fulfillment, told entirely from a woman’s point of view, is part of the reason their genius wasn’t fully recognized and respected.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Aug. 2025
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Williams is well-liked and respected in the Nascar community as one of the few drivers who can completely work on his own racecar if needed.—
Joseph Wolkin,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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All were praised for easy-to-access anchors and ample legroom.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
6 Aug. 2025
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Carbon dioxide usually gets blamed for climate change, not praised for solving it.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Garner provides programs in life skills, anger management, job training, religious study, and worship, creating new habits, culinary arts, embracing fatherhood, farming and gardening, manufacturing, and community college courses.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
9 Aug. 2025
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The event gave kids of all ages and all faiths a space to worship, fellowship and have fun.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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