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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2
as in to bless
to make holy through prayers or ritual
sanctify the bread for Communion
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Recent Examples of sanctify
In Kahane’s theology, Jewish weakness was the sacrilege, and Jewish strength sanctified God.
—
Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
G‑d’s purpose in creating the world was that all of creation be sanctified, imbuing it with holiness and spirituality.
—Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025
His magnetic, restrained performance gives flesh to this mythical character, without ever sanctifying him.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 May 2025
In the West, she’s been sanctified, but also portrayed as a sinner, a nun, a mystic, and Jesus’ wife.
—Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
G‑d’s purpose in creating the world was that all of creation be sanctified, imbuing it with holiness and spirituality.
—Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025
His magnetic, restrained performance gives flesh to this mythical character, without ever sanctifying him.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 May 2025
In the West, she’s been sanctified, but also portrayed as a sinner, a nun, a mystic, and Jesus’ wife.
—Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctify
Verb
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Reuters — Two top Chinese military leaders have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and the military on corruption charges, the country’s defense ministry said on Friday, the most senior officers to be purged in an anti-graft drive that began in 2023.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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Sparks is accused of not only failing to purge two prior contempt findings, but has since engaged in behavior resulting in an additional finding of contempt.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Trinity community has been blessed by his presence.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Oct. 2025
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Usually, the question was couched in politeness, but my students (bless them) had not yet learned to be subtle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Exercises focused on how to find and purify water, fish and hunt for animals, forage for edible plants, find dry wood to build a fire and construct palm leaf-sapling lean-to shelters.—
Kit Bernardi,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
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The lightweight gel also features hectorite clay—a purifying agent to absorb excess sebum—niacinamide, and of course, ceramides to quell shine and keep blemishes at bay.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some of these caves have fireplaces, and some were consecrated and used as churches, known as rupestre.—
Aileen Weintraub,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 July 2025
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And so, next door to the photo booth where Nic and Cierra consecrated their mutual vibe, cowgirl style, Hannah climbs onto Pepe’s muscular thighs and gets a little cowgirl make-out of her own.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sanctify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctify. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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