sanctify

verb

ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce sanctify (audio)
Definition of sanctifynext
1
as in to purge
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially received the sacrament of penance, whereby they were sanctified and restored to divine grace

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bless
to make holy through prayers or ritual sanctify the bread for Communion

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 sanctify When a couple marry in a church, synagogue or mosque, the ceremony does more than sanctify a union. — Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026 Like much of the first half of the episode, before the plane crash, this gala sequence is shot in silky gold colors, as if John and Carolyn had already been sanctified. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026 There was no contradiction for these women in using sacred imagery to dramatize erotic love, or Scripture to sanctify desire. — Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026 That was until Pope Leo inadvertently sanctified them in 2026. — Paul Keane, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctify
  1. purge
  2. bless
  3. purify
  4. consecrate
Verb
  • But both would purge the coterie of advisers around Zelensky, who many of the Ukrainian president’s critics believe are responsible for bad decisions, and whiff of corruption.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The states also want Meta to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, delete personal information collected from those users and purge algorithms and artificial intelligence models trained on their data.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of purge
Verb
  • The backstory Once upon a time, there was a Spanish family blessed with a talent for finding historic buildings and transforming them into hotels that anyone who admires beauty and nature would want to visit.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • When Mother Nature blesses the area with heavy snow, tee up for a day of skiing at nearby Windham and Hunter mountains, post up with s’mores in front of the fire pits on the property, or unwind in its Finnish-style sauna.
    — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of bless
Verb
  • The technique already plays a major role in biotechnology, where manufacturers use it to purify complex compounds and biologic medicines.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Puerto Rico’s governor had declared a state of emergency in late July because of the persistent dry conditions and activated the National Guard to transport, distribute, and purify water.
    — Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of purify
Verb
  • Still, there were only eight African Anglican clergy in Kenya by 1920, and the first Kenyan bishops would not be consecrated until 1955.
    — Stephanie TriplettAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The Vatican declared the group of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide in schism after the SSPX consecrated four bishops in Switzerland without Pope Leo XIV’s approval this month.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Definition of consecrate

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sanctifies
sanctify
sanctifying
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Cite this Entry

“Sanctify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctify. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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