solemnize

Definition of solemnizenext
as in to consecrate
formal to mark (something) officially or formally especially with a religious ceremony The priest solemnized their marriage.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 solemnize The funeral took place in the Cambridge church where her wedding had been solemnized sixteen months earlier. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 Once received, the license must be solemnized with a ceremony conducted by someone recognized as having the legal power do so. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2020 According to custom in these conservative Hindu communities, while weddings are often solemnized at very young ages, a bride typically is sent to live with her husband’s family and consummate the union in her teens. Author: Shashank Bengali, Anchorage Daily News, 24 June 2018 In one temple, an officiant claimed that his facility had solemnized 1,500 mixed marriages over the last five years. Ira Trivedi, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solemnize
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
Verb
  • During opening night of his 30-show run at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Harry Styles took a moment to honor country icon Dolly Parton following her death on Tuesday.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Known widely for her philanthropic efforts, the family encouraged devoted fans to honor Parton’s legacy by donating to a special cause close to her heart — Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Some have made videos inspired by 2010s memes, others have celebrated the return of a platform that hearkens back to a time when many felt less pessimistic about the role of social media in their lives.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond Freestyle This July, Coca-Cola’s Freestyle drink dispenser celebrated its 17th anniversary.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Not for nothing has White Barn Inn been blessed with just about every hospitality and dining award possible—from the endless applause of regional magazines and AAA five diamond ratings to a spot on Traveler's Gold List.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Heads of state, parents of book recipients, music fans, movie fans and, like me, women who felt blessed to have had such a glamorous role model publicly mourned the loss.
    Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The church has always preached that humans are created in God’s image; by assuming the messy fragility of human form, God’s son sanctified human experience.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • To say that the Union was sacred and the touchstone of democracy was to strengthen slavery by sanctifying the state that protected it.
    Dominic Erdozain, Time, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Download our exclusive poster to commemorate TCU’s season opener against UNC in Ireland.
    Neil Nakahodo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In this week's installment of Far-Flung Postcards, NPR's Jane Arraf visits Karbala, Iraq, where more than 20 million Shia Muslims gathered to commemorate Arbaeen.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The scholar of religion Friedrich Max Müller (1823–1900) noticed that many Vedic hymns praise different deities using the same superlatives and ascribe to them the same mythological feats.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Head coach Willie Simmons praised his team’s athleticism and talent through fall camp, while emphasizing the X’s and O’s with the season opener approaching.
    Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Solemnize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solemnize. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!