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

Players will also wear a sticker on their helmets honoring Cox for the remainder of the season.

— Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
But with campaigns romanticizing the British countryside and a new mini exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum honoring one of its greatest hallmarks, the trusty trench, Burberry is fully owning its history.

— Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of honoring

Verb

Listed by Wetzel and fellow Realtor Ingrid Williams for $899,000, curious travelers have been driving past the eye-catching estate for decades, admiring its unique and surprising presence among the expanses of nearby farmland.

— Richard Lane, Des Moines Register, 21 Sep. 2026
Thousands of people visit the museum every year, admiring the airplanes parked in the sun.

— Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of admiring

Verb

Rocked Fund Canada boss Augustin alson shared her concerns, while praising Jennings’ position.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Kelce began by praising the Colts and their effort in the game, as Indianapolis desperately wanted to avoid an 0-2 start.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 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

Vanore said police are respecting the wishes of the families and not releasing the names of the woman seen in the video with RC Horsch and the 25-year-old woman.

— Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
The best leaders intentionally choose the right communication channel, respecting that people process information differently and creating the conditions for everyone to contribute their best thinking.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of respecting

Verb

Shankara advises that worshipping gods with names and stories through devotional rituals and sacred images (murtis) is an acceptable step for some people on the path toward a more philosophical understanding of an all-pervasive ultimate reality.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Sakela is typically expressed through dance, music, group rituals and by worshipping nature.

— PhotoVogue, Vogue, 13 Aug. 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
This has been an awesome showcase of American community, with our own USMNT support and other countries’ diasporas springing up exalting watch parties all over the place.

— Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of exalting

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lionizes

lionizing

lions

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“Lionizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionizing. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of lionizing

verb

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