as in admires
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 lionizes
Weberman’s early release would place him back into a community that not only protects, but lionizes him.
—
Guila Benchimol, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
Guila Benchimol, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionizes
Verb
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The Academy clearly admires artists who specialize in onscreen terror.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
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The hypocrite pretends to be good because the hypocrite believes that society admires good and condemns wrong.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because these gigs carried a nostalgic glow, Megacity Madness also honors PUP’s back catalog, a reminder of how many great songs these guys have written in only 12 years.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
17 Mar. 2026
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The 56th annual Chicano Park Day honors the Barrio Logan community with music, dancing, food, a car show and a history lesson.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Walsh venerates Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
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The Democrat who venerates more government but sidesteps California’s failing public schools and crushing cost of living.—
John H Bolthouse,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Silyan is set in Kotevska’s native North Macedonia, a place that reveres white storks which return to the country each year to raise their young.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
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The Natural is, to the core, a movie that reveres the utter Americana of historical baseball, with its lo-fi Dust Bowl aesthetics that heavily reference Arthurian legend.—
K. Austin Collins,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Los Angeles Unified respects the voices and courage of survivors of all forms of violence.—
Ryan Carter,
Daily News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Their design retains the building’s original windows and structural character, respects the past while achieving optimal acoustic performance.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At a time when our right to protest is under siege, this sci-fi yarn exalts the way an individual’s conviction can plant seeds of change, leading to a stronger sense of community.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Boyes, too, exalts the elephants like a man possessed.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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According to people close to him, the president frequently praises Rubio in both private and public settings, at times casting him as a possible all-time great at the State Department.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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The superintendent praises the international educators — mostly from Jamaica and the Philippines — for their skill and dedication.—
Michael Melia,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The recognizing states will have to step up, too, by making their security guarantees concrete and by helping shape a Palestinian state that does not threaten its neighbors and dignifies its people by providing functioning institutions and proper services.—
SHIRA EFRON,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lionizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionizes. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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