as in to honor
to treat (someone) as a very important and famous person
She was lionized everywhere after her novel won the Pulitzer Prize.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lionize
So how can an album that condemns Israel and lionizes IRA tactics feel so fun?
—
David Harris,
SPIN,
30 Apr. 2026
Nursing has long been lionized as one of the most stable and safe professions for young graduates to pursue.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
That brings us back to the folly of lionizing Kent as a conscientious objector to Trump and the president’s hawkish foreign policy as of late.
—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles educators were also directed to immediately shift from lionizing Chávez to honoring instead the farmworkers’ movement.
—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lionize
David Harris,
SPIN,
30 Apr. 2026
Nursing has long been lionized as one of the most stable and safe professions for young graduates to pursue.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
That brings us back to the folly of lionizing Kent as a conscientious objector to Trump and the president’s hawkish foreign policy as of late.
—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles educators were also directed to immediately shift from lionizing Chávez to honoring instead the farmworkers’ movement.
—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
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While June 27 was a day to honor and celebrate Wiley, Turner said June 28 marked the beginning of the fight for answers and accountability.
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The 83-year-old singer and songwriter has been honored with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's National Patriot Award and has entertained troops on more than 30 United Service Organizations (USO) tours, according to Soldier Valley Spirits.
Verb
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The floral still life was so admired that Caroline Louise, Margravine of Baden, spent three years trying to acquire it through her Paris agent.
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Still, most homeowners would prefer to admire them from the yard rather than the attic.
Verb
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Shazeer is widely revered as one of the key architects of the modern generative AI boom.
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Though Greenspan was revered among Wall Streeters at the time, Grant’s critical review of Greenspan’s legacy warned of the imbalances and bubbles that were forming in equities and debt—years before the Great Recession that was to come.
Verb
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The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a monastery with emblematic golden domes, is venerated by both the Russian and Ukrainian wings of the Orthodox Church as one of their most important spiritual centers.
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Olivier was venerated as a Shakespearean actor, playing many iconic protagonists in London including Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth and, controversially, Othello.
Verb
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Meanwhile, Jupiter — exalted in Cancer — brings expansion to themes of intuition, emotional intelligence, family bonds and home life.
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Onstage, Michael is exalted, transfigured, fully alive, with neither fear nor shame.
Verb
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For roughly a century after the Constitution was ratified, private property, contracts and free internal trade within the United States were respected.
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This shift invites us to share work, ideas, and talents more openly while choosing playful risks that still respect real-world limits.
Verb
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Swift and Nicks have a long relationship and have often praised each other in public.
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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also praised the selection, saying Schroyer’s background positions him to advance the administration's immigration enforcement goals and called on the Senate to act quickly to confirm him.
Verb
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So people are looking to online forums to find that guidance, and to find those people to worship, in a way.
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How long will families have to live on the edge of fear to remain on constant alert simply to worship, learn and gather in peace?
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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