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
  • 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
  • And Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wears dresses and blouses embroidered by Indigenous artisans to honor their textile traditions.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Last year, luminaries like Conan O’Brien, Ryan Murphy, and Viola Davis were all honored at the event, which closed out the festival on a high note.
    Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Some Syrians celebrated in the streets after the death sentence handed down to al-Assad and his younger brother, Maher.
    Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The Air Jordan 4 Retro OG Jackie Robinson will be released April 15, which is celebrated as Jackie Robinson Day, from Nike’s Snkrs app and select Jordan Brand retailers for $230.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • America is blessed to have billionaire entrepreneurs who accomplish such things.
    Harold Pollack, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • So a team at Anthropic thought Claude, free of mortality and blessed with superhuman invulnerability to boredom, should have a go.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 12 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
  • This week, Cuba commemorated Castro with events including the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from leftist organizations across the continent.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • To commemorate this, two new limited edition controllers are being released.
    Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Guest judge Willy Chavarria praises how Jeffrey’s outfit moved (my favorite thing about it), but the strength of Naheim’s tromp l’oeil effect snags him the win, immunity for the next challenge, and $20,000 from Viva.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The play of both lines was pleasing to Harbaugh, who praised the performances of young defensive linemen TeRah Edwards and Jacobian Guillory.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Solemnize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solemnize. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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