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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Recent Examples of lionizing
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
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
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For her, restoring land is not only about outcomes but also about honoring the people, legacies, and communities that depend on it.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Held at the historic Lido Theater in Newport Beach, the event will showcase a dynamic lineup of events, honoring both established and emerging talent in television.—
William Earl,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The piece is affectionate, admiring, and shamelessly tilted in his favor.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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Families flock to the Cape for mini-golfing, traipsing around sand dunes, comparing ice cream stands, gobbling up lobster rolls, spotting whales, and simply admiring the gray cedar shake houses adorned with colorful buoys.—
Kara Williams,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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More than 1,300 customers have awarded the sneakers a five-star rating, praising the durability and cloud-like cushioning in reviews.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
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Cue tech and political leaders praising the outgoing Cook, who'd presided over a more than 20-fold increase in market cap at the tech giant since taking over from the late Steve Jobs in 2011.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His whole combo — coddling yet revering — makes clear how this hopeless estate chugged along for so long.—
Theater Critic,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Feb. 2026
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Chu sits at the center of Hollywood, and grew up in Silicon Valley revering engineers.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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Exquisite dribblers such as Olise need protecting and venerating.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sea glass becomes a symbol of curiosity, honesty, respecting other’s property, the beauty of teamwork, fond memories, and the sweet connection between mother and daughter.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Every artist stressed the importance of respecting the source material while finding opportunities to innovate.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cage fans already knew the actor could play twisted roles well, but his demented performance as the Satan-worshipping killer still disturbed and delighted audiences.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
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One raunchy session from 1975 with a lover named Mike Karton begins with Peter worshipping Karton’s jockstrap in his Second Avenue loft.—
Andrew Durbin,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The story goes that Balanchine was so struck by the multi-colored glow of the jewelry displays at the Van Cleef & Arpels New York showroom that this led him to create a dance exalting their beauty.—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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As Alvarado explores repeatedly, Valdez rejected that pathway, instead honing his indigenous roots, and dedicating his life to exalting those who, like him, exist in the in-between.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lionizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionizing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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