1
as in to purge
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially
received the sacrament of penance, whereby they were sanctified and restored to divine grace
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bless
to make holy through prayers or ritual
sanctify the bread for Communion
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Recent Examples of sanctify
The priest at the church, which had been sanctified by the recent arrival of some saintly relics from Rome, tried talking to the demon living in the girl’s body.
—
Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
If Saturday’s game likely won’t be as low-scoring affair as the one Rice sanctified 100 years ago, both offenses may be in for a long day; having given up just 10.3 points per game this season, Army boasts the game’s second-stingiest D, while the Irish are No. 3 (11.4).
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024
The same mirrors that were instruments for Jewish continuity in Egypt helped sanctify the basin used by the priests to prepare themselves for the Temple service.
—Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2024
This also means the final act plays like a sanctifying highlights reel but the film’s gleeful humor and sharp wit largely keeps this chaotic rollercoaster on its tracks.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
If Saturday’s game likely won’t be as low-scoring affair as the one Rice sanctified 100 years ago, both offenses may be in for a long day; having given up just 10.3 points per game this season, Army boasts the game’s second-stingiest D, while the Irish are No. 3 (11.4).
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024
The same mirrors that were instruments for Jewish continuity in Egypt helped sanctify the basin used by the priests to prepare themselves for the Temple service.
—Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2024
This also means the final act plays like a sanctifying highlights reel but the film’s gleeful humor and sharp wit largely keeps this chaotic rollercoaster on its tracks.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctify
Verb
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This is followed by a total lunar eclipse in Virgo on March 14, serving as a cosmic reset and purge, urging us to let go of anything that no longer serves our highest good.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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Spring is nearly upon us, and with the change of season, one of two desires naturally emerges: the urge to purge or the craving to acquire something new.—
Naomi Rougeau,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Drake has continued to bless fans experiencing financial hardship during his Anita Max Wynn Tour through Australia.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
25 Feb. 2025
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Last May, during a celebration of the Camargo’s discovery, a young priest from the quilombo went to sea to bless the excavation.—
Julian Lucas,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Pure Water project is intended to make the upgrades unnecessary because sewage from the plant will be purified at a new Miramar plant just east of Interstate 805, then stored in Lake Miramar reservoir near Interstate 15 and later piped to homes and businesses as potable water.—
Gary Warth,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
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These raw forms of purifying agents hold higher concentrations of active ingredients.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The creators of this medieval masterpiece have been lost to time, but it’s believed to have been commissioned by Odo, bishop of Bayeux and William’s half-brother, to decorate the nave of the new cathedral of Notre-Dame of Bayeux, which was consecrated in 1077.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
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The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.—
Kary Love,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sanctify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctify. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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