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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Recent Examples of lionize
Image As mayor, Mr. Duterte was lionized in the Philippines.
—
Aie Balagtas See, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a devout Catholic, lionized Francis, portraying him as the perfect embodiment of the gospel of Matthew, which urges charity for those most in need.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
But a new genre of dragon-riding fiction reimagined human and dragon relationships to be much more reflective of the girl/horse relationships lionized by earlier generations.
—Rebecca Scofield / Made By History, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
The only exception of course is the intersex pope (who - surprise! - has female reproductive parts) & the cardinal who keeps her secret - bc of course that kind of Catholic secret-keeping must be lionized.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Aie Balagtas See, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a devout Catholic, lionized Francis, portraying him as the perfect embodiment of the gospel of Matthew, which urges charity for those most in need.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
But a new genre of dragon-riding fiction reimagined human and dragon relationships to be much more reflective of the girl/horse relationships lionized by earlier generations.
—Rebecca Scofield / Made By History, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
The only exception of course is the intersex pope (who - surprise! - has female reproductive parts) & the cardinal who keeps her secret - bc of course that kind of Catholic secret-keeping must be lionized.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
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Nas will deliver a powerful set, and Doug E. Fresh will honor ESSENCE’s 55th anniversary with a performance of the ages.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
10 June 2025
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The Tony Awards honored those actors who embraced the immediacy of the theatrical experience and offered us varieties of performance styles that would be hard to find even in the more obscure reaches of Netflix.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
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In an Instagram carousel shared on Wednesday, June 4, Popeyes posted a collection of posts from around social media admiring their marketing and swift movements.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
5 June 2025
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Stock image: A couple standing with suitcases at their sides, admiring a window view from a bedroom.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Aspects of existentialism can also be found in much older sources revered in European intellectual traditions, such as the biblical books of Ecclesiastes and Job and the thinking of Greek Cynics such as Diogenes.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
1 June 2025
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Cannabis, long revered for its therapeutic properties, has been making waves in wellness circles, offering a range of benefits for physical and mental health.—
Matt Rozo,
Mercury News,
1 June 2025
Verb
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Apollo, the god of archery and the son of Zeus, was venerated both in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2025
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We are culturally deprived, and the attempt to venerate McDonald for her unedifying turmoil backfired.—
Armond White,
National Review,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Britain’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, lauded the president’s efforts and exalted the two nations’ longstanding trade and foreign policy ties.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
8 May 2025
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The awards are designed to make adolescents feel just exalted enough to say yes while still extracting the maximum number of dollars from each family.—
Ana Swanson,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Verb
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CrowdStrike shares never deserved to be that low, but a move like that must be respected.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
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Trump’s moral choice is to respect Gulf states’ unique history, culture, religion, and society.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
semafor.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Mamdani has also been praised as a prolific communicator and has run a social media-savvy campaign.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
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During the trophy ceremony, Paolini praised her partner.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Public fan voting will take place in two categories this year – urban single or performance of the year and praise and worship song of the year.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
12 June 2025
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Set during one dizzying weekend at the Kell estate, home to billionaire couple Michaela (Moore) and Peter (Bacon), these top one-percenters are so worshipped and secluded that their immediate social circle resembles a cult more than a community.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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