as in to consecrate
formal
to mark (something) officially or formally especially with a religious ceremony
The priest solemnized their marriage.
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Recent Examples of solemnize
The funeral took place in the Cambridge church where her wedding had been solemnized sixteen months earlier.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Lee signs bill allowing officiants to decline to perform marriages
Lee quietly signed into law a bill allowing officiants to decline to solemnize marriages for any reason, which has been criticized by the LGBTQ community as antagonistic.
—Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 3 Feb. 2025
The vows were solemnized by Hunter S. Thompson who was an ordained minister.
—Rory Feehan, SPIN, 9 Nov. 2023
Once received, the license must be solemnized with a ceremony conducted by someone recognized as having the legal power do so.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2020
According to custom in these conservative Hindu communities, while weddings are often solemnized at very young ages, a bride typically is sent to live with her husband’s family and consummate the union in her teens.
—Author: Shashank Bengali, Anchorage Daily News, 24 June 2018
Paper can also help us with solemnizing our transactions — making them official.
—David Scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Apr. 2018
There is no marker to solemnize the death of the Spurs' unmatched dynasty: RIP 1997-2017.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Feb. 2018
In one temple, an officiant claimed that his facility had solemnized 1,500 mixed marriages over the last five years.
—Ira Trivedi, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2013
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Lee signs bill allowing officiants to decline to perform marriages
Lee quietly signed into law a bill allowing officiants to decline to solemnize marriages for any reason, which has been criticized by the LGBTQ community as antagonistic.
—Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 3 Feb. 2025
The vows were solemnized by Hunter S. Thompson who was an ordained minister.
—Rory Feehan, SPIN, 9 Nov. 2023
Once received, the license must be solemnized with a ceremony conducted by someone recognized as having the legal power do so.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2020
According to custom in these conservative Hindu communities, while weddings are often solemnized at very young ages, a bride typically is sent to live with her husband’s family and consummate the union in her teens.
—Author: Shashank Bengali, Anchorage Daily News, 24 June 2018
Paper can also help us with solemnizing our transactions — making them official.
—David Scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Apr. 2018
There is no marker to solemnize the death of the Spurs' unmatched dynasty: RIP 1997-2017.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Feb. 2018
In one temple, an officiant claimed that his facility had solemnized 1,500 mixed marriages over the last five years.
—Ira Trivedi, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solemnize
Verb
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The ashes are consecrated with holy water and incense before being administered.—
Catherine Messier,
The Providence Journal,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Rob practiced celebrating the Mass by draping a sheet over an ironing board in the basement and consecrating Necco wafers.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tickets for the original Orlando date will be honored for the new date.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Valentine's Day pagan connections Lupercalia was a debaucherous festival that celebrated the coming of spring that included animal sacrifices and drunken revelry to honor Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Van Der Beek recounted their first meeting in a 2020 Instagram post celebrating the couple’s 10th wedding anniversary.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Diaz suffered a major knee injury while celebrating a win during the 2023 tournament and missed the entire MLB season with the New York Mets.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The beginning of Lent for many Catholics is marked by Ash Wednesday, when faithfuls are blessed at a religious service with ash on their forehead to externally symbolize their transition into the spiritual season.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
People both young and old, lonely and less lonely, those blessed with a family home, and even couples freed up the tram for us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But months later, the campaign to sanctify Kirk appears to have backfired in some ways.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
-
An overexposed photo shows Miralba from the torso up, looking into a white sky, with a ray of light almost sanctifying her face.—
Camila Osorio,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Parental Guidance Is Key—And Watch for Red Flags Ultimately, parents will want to help guide their teen at this time, since commemorating Valentine’s Day is new territory in their first relationship.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Matthew Tkachuk, star of the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, recently spoke for the team during a White House visit commemorating their title, their second in a row.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And in 2025, to celebrate the Air Max 95’s 30th anniversary, Nike went all-in with a true-to-OG Big Bubble redesign, which has been universally praised by industry insiders and consumers alike.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
However, while users have praised the technology, Seedance has run into trouble.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Solemnize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solemnize. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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