as in honoring
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 lionizing
Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia.
—
Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionizing
Verb
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But without a finished 10th novel to work from (Gabaldon is currently in progress on her final Outlander volume, called A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out), Roberts and team had to toe a fine line between honoring the essence of the book series and forging their own path forward.—
Amy Wilkinson,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
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That recognition expanded in 2024, when the Texas Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring the day statewide.—
Jacob Beltran,
San Antonio Express-News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill all reprise their roles from Steven Spielberg's 1993 classic, featuring Dern running with dinos, Neill encouraging a T-Rex to roar for a front-facing video, and Goldblum admiring a giant pile of shrimp.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
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Early in their friendship, the two of them would spend their weekends driving out around the bay, picking furniture out of the garbage, admiring old windows and doors, and coveting the sheds.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That Bad Bunny gave this song to Martin feels especially moving after the latter wrote a letter this past week praising the former’s Grammys acceptance speech.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
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Your diplomatic touch can turn an argument into teamwork by praising an idea’s potential, then guiding it toward a less pricey lane.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chu sits at the center of Hollywood, and grew up in Silicon Valley revering engineers.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And, online, there has been a never-ending stream of posts venerating Kirk as a martyr who died defending white Christian values.—
Ryan Broderick,
Rolling Stone,
24 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That curriculum encourages public school children to embrace 13 principles, including being honest, respecting authority and resolving conflicts without violence.—
Elizabeth Chuck,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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Look for ideas that support joy while respecting your goals, like visiting secondhand stores or seeing a matinee showing rather than a full-price one.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After a childhood spent worshipping the Ramones and the Replacements, Billie Joe Armstrong co-founded Green Day with bassist Mike Dirnt in 1987.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
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Freedom of religion Those who were worshipping at Cities Church when the service was disrupted also have a First Amendment right to practice their religion.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As Alvarado explores repeatedly, Valdez rejected that pathway, instead honing his indigenous roots, and dedicating his life to exalting those who, like him, exist in the in-between.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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The executive is looking to bring the Kate Somerville brand back to a strong position by leaning into its clinical roots and exalting its hero ExfoliKate line of cleansers and treatments, priced between $46 for a foaming wash and $85 for an exfoliating treatment.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lionizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionizing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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