LIONIZING Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

lionizing

verb

present participle of lionize

as in honoring

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 lionizing 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 That brings us back to the folly of lionizing Kent as a conscientious objector to Trump and the president’s hawkish foreign policy as of late. — David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026 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 Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia. — Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionizing

Verb

It's filled with favorite foods, drinks and treats — from Mexican Coke to Ecuadorian sodas — honoring people as individuals.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Friends, family and community members dressed in light blue — Noel’s favorite color — gathered Saturday in Everman for a public vigil honoring 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez.

— Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of honoring

Verb

The admiring portrait also examines Capra’s political timidity and broken collaborations, while showing how his films shaped Hollywood and Americans’ ideas about themselves.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
At the opening reception of the exhibit, Caton Vance is admiring Tyler's work.

— Sea Stachura, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of admiring

Verb

Actor Josh Gad also remembered Stewart in an Instagram post Thursday, praising his work across film, television and theater.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
Green ultimately selected Mower to advance, praising the singer for already having a clear understanding of his musical identity.

— Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of praising

Verb

In time, generations of directors and studio execs who came up revering trailblazing path set by 1970s New Hollywood titans like Coppola would come to fundamentally see the sequel in a different light as a result.

— Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
Our history is complex but acknowledging its complexity shouldn't be considered inconsistent with loving our country and revering its founders.

— New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026

Definition of revering

Verb

Jellicle Ball joins that lineage, inviting its audience to experience the joys of the Black and Latino ball scene while venerating its bittersweet roots.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Exquisite dribblers such as Olise need protecting and venerating.

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026

Definition of venerating

Verb

After a week of respecting the sanctity of spoilers, our critics have assembled to discuss the movie in detail.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2026
The international community must reaffirm its commitment to respecting the cultural value of place naming and to articulate responsible place-naming principles, especially for geographical features that are shared across international borders.

— Reuben Rose-Redwood, Time, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of respecting

Verb

Its magical forest is filled with talking animals, tree-worshipping mystics, scheming functionaries, and the Dowager Governess (Carey Mulligan), an enchantress who commands an army of uniformed coyotes.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
In Jennifer’s Body, Needy (Seyfried) is BFFs with the titular mean girl played by Fox, whose body becomes possessed by a succubus with a taste for teen boys after a botched sacrifice by a devil-worshipping boy band (led by Adam Brody).

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of worshipping

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
Anything that isn’t good – of God – is exalting itself against the truth of God’s all-good nature.

— Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 24 July 2026

Definition of exalting

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lionizes

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“Lionizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionizing. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of lionizing

verb

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