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.

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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
  • The King’s wife, Queen Mette-Marit, is also expected to be consecrated during the ceremony.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Ho, who co-founded 852 Films, picked up the Fantastic Icon Award at BIFAN’s 30th edition, honoring her body of work in genre film.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The discovery led to a complete redesign of the project, shifting the hotel inland to preserve the sacred site and honor the ancestors who remain there.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • To celebrate the diversity and nutritiousness of traditional Korean foods through a modern lens.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
  • As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence, Smithsonian leaders are turning to AI to better understand items in its collection tied to the fight that led to the country’s founding.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • No sooner than the broadcast of the Braves’ Wild Card Series game began Tuesday, showing pockets of empty seats at Truist Park, the social-media geniuses blessed us with their bouquets of wisdom.
    — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Fashion designer Simon Port Jacquemus listed it among his favorite addresses in Vogue, and French street artist Invader unofficially blessed the building with one of his trademark mosaics.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Guns became sacred, and violence was increasingly justified, if not sanctified.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Katrina anniversary game Monday night will be an emotional one in New Orleans as the Saints commemorate the 20th anniversary of their return to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.
    — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In pieces commemorating the anniversary of the march, journalists have sometimes focused on the lack of women’s voices on the day.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The one-minute television spot includes Poindexter’s daughters praising their father for his work ethic and dedication to their family.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Smoke’N Ash is also praised for Patrick Hicks’ brisket, pork ribs and rib tips, along with an extensive menu of desserts.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Solemnize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solemnize. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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