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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Recent Examples of sanctify
This is not the first attempt to sanctify a secular icon for the republic.
—
Emery J Cummins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Mitevska also refuses to sanctify Mother Teresa more than necessary, instead portraying her as a strict disciplinarian who believed in organizational practicality as much as in the inherent holiness of children.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
In Gaza, addressing famine means sanctifying life instead of normalizing violent death.
—Karl Vick, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
If you were seated at her Met Gala, you weren’t just seen—you were sanctified.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Emery J Cummins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Mitevska also refuses to sanctify Mother Teresa more than necessary, instead portraying her as a strict disciplinarian who believed in organizational practicality as much as in the inherent holiness of children.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
In Gaza, addressing famine means sanctifying life instead of normalizing violent death.
—Karl Vick, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
If you were seated at her Met Gala, you weren’t just seen—you were sanctified.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctify
Verb
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The nation was to be purged of continual sin not indeed all of its own doing—due partly to its inheritance; and yet a sin, a negation that gave the world the right to sneer at the pretensions of this republic.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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And so every autocrat ends up purging any kind of critic.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And if she's found happiness, God bless.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
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Brooke Shields, God bless her, tried to do a bit.—
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The indoor pool is purified with ozone.—
Lydia Bell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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According to Shi, biochar can trap those contaminants and purify the water.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The ashes are consecrated with holy water and incense before being administered.—
Catherine Messier,
The Providence Journal,
12 Jan. 2026
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Rob practiced celebrating the Mass by draping a sheet over an ironing board in the basement and consecrating Necco wafers.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sanctify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctify. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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