as in worship
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person
the instant deification by the press of the country's newest war hero
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Recent Examples of deification
The mountain has been widely used by the Kim dynasty to showcase the family’s own lore and deification.
—
Will Ripley, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
Depictions of breastfeeding in Western art are usually associated with the baby Jesus and Mary, apart from others in gilded deification.
—Alexandra Bregman, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
So there has always been an attack on the present and a deification of the past on our way to saying that things are getting worse.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Hustle culture and the ever-shortening form of advice have led to the deification of undying devotion—whether to a cause, a goal, or a priority.
—Tim Maurer, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deification
Will Ripley, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
Depictions of breastfeeding in Western art are usually associated with the baby Jesus and Mary, apart from others in gilded deification.
—Alexandra Bregman, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
So there has always been an attack on the present and a deification of the past on our way to saying that things are getting worse.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Hustle culture and the ever-shortening form of advice have led to the deification of undying devotion—whether to a cause, a goal, or a priority.
—Tim Maurer, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deification
Noun
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Sixty-five warming spaces — located at hospitals, houses of worship and schools — are active around town throughout the weekend, with warming buses also parked outside many of the hospitals and also transit hubs.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
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Moving the church into a dedicated worship space will free up the gym and allow local Assyrians to start turning the building into a community gathering place, said Ashur Shiba, a Morton Grove village trustee and executive director of the grassroots group Vote Assyrian.—
Marie Wilson,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The retreat will include interactive talks, personal time for couples’ reflection and discussion, a continental breakfast and catered lunch, and adoration with a special blessing for the couples.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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My list is filled with personal adoration for each of these plants.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Afternoons are made for fresh piña coladas, languid sun worshipping, and offshore adventures on motorboats fully stocked with snorkels, fins, and local beer.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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Some might be inclined to label Lee as an early cult leader, with her extreme views on sexuality, somatic-style worshipping rituals rooted in dance and song as well as her desire to build a self-sufficient, utopian community outside of mainstream society.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
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But the Turkish big man is also representative of a more meaningful trend, which was on display again this week, even before the Nuggets visited Houston — a recent proliferation of Jokic idolatry throughout the sport.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
21 Nov. 2025
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In the Bible, Egypt occupies a central place, mentioned repeatedly as a land of refuge – notably for Joseph – but also as a nation of idolatry and as the cradle of slavery.—
Charles Vanthournout,
The Conversation,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deification. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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