as in admired
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 lionized
Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero.
—
CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
To see that kind of big-budget artistry properly lionized, given some of the duds the Academy has recognized in recent years—I’m looking at you, Green Book—felt like a true triumph.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Keïta is lionized in the photo world, and in the art world at large, and rightfully so.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026
On Sunday, he was lionized as a Christian martyr and patriot committed to free expression and challenging liberal orthodoxy.
—Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Barry Goldwater thundered against centralized power, Ronald Reagan lionized hands-off government and liberty, and even Richard Nixon respected certain limits.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Today, though, Oppenheimer is lionized while Bush is little known outside a small circle of historians, computer scientists, and policy thinkers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 June 2024
By the late 18th century, he had been lionized as a national hero who established the first, lasting European contact with the continent.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Some people have lionized Mangione as a sort of vigilante hero.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
To see that kind of big-budget artistry properly lionized, given some of the duds the Academy has recognized in recent years—I’m looking at you, Green Book—felt like a true triumph.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Keïta is lionized in the photo world, and in the art world at large, and rightfully so.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026
On Sunday, he was lionized as a Christian martyr and patriot committed to free expression and challenging liberal orthodoxy.
—Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Barry Goldwater thundered against centralized power, Ronald Reagan lionized hands-off government and liberty, and even Richard Nixon respected certain limits.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Today, though, Oppenheimer is lionized while Bush is little known outside a small circle of historians, computer scientists, and policy thinkers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 June 2024
By the late 18th century, he had been lionized as a national hero who established the first, lasting European contact with the continent.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionized
Verb
-
In the conspiracy-minded 2020s, that success is more widely feared than admired or understood.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Those who knew him, admired him.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Strong, who was honored as the AP Player of the Year on Thursday, had 12 points and 12 rebounds but went 4-for-16 from the field.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Strong, who was honored as the AP Player of the Year on Thursday, had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but went four for 16 from the field.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
American flags and stone buildings dot the town square and those who put this usually low-key 25,000-person city on the map — there aren’t many — are revered like family.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The rest are bars where cocktail-making is revered.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Miles praised the defensive effort of South Carolina.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The shoe was a hit, praised equally for its design as its comfort, and is currently available in 19 different colorways and materials, including pink or leopard ponyhair, white leather, and tan suede.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Pastors doubt their stories, especially when the accused is respected.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Some may even have had a brush with him at one time or another, but respected the man for having done his job the right way.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
They were venerated as their tribes’ leaders.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Dozens of firearms also were recovered, including handguns with images of Santa Muerte (a Mexican folk saint venerated by drug dealers) and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The congregation worshiped on Palm Sunday at the Elgin History Museum.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Over the course of Egyptian history hundreds of gods and goddesses were worshipped.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lionized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionized. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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