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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lionize
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
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.
—Jen Juneau, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lionize
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
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.
—Jen Juneau, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lionize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize
Verb
-
Accepting the award is bittersweet for the band members, but they’re honored to pay their respects to Vaughn’s legacy.—
Melinda Newman,
Billboard,
30 May 2025
-
The decision — the sabbatical — was arrived at with both intending to honor it.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The president’s Wednesday message about Xi echoes some of his past friendly and even admiring language toward the Chinese leader – one of a handful of strongmen that Trump has praised or lauded close relations with throughout his political career.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
No ancient European cathedral is complete without its holy relics, which are venerated by the faithful as sacred artifacts from various saints and the life of Jesus.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
21 May 2025
-
The same gospel, venerated with incense, will now be chanted in Greek.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
18 May 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
CrowdStrike shares never deserved to be that low, but a move like that must be respected.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
-
Trump’s moral choice is to respect Gulf states’ unique history, culture, religion, and society.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
semafor.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
But authorities were praised for their quick response to the incident and swift updates.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
27 May 2025
-
Debatable, but then again, who doesn’t like being praised.—
Anna Juul,
The Dial,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Anthony Levandowski, the former head of Google’s self-driving-car division, for instance, founded an organization to worship artificial intelligence as a godhead.—
John Kaag,
The Atlantic,
28 May 2025
-
But beyond prosecuting the suspect in this case, there must be a concerted strategy to make sure that America remains a safe place for Jews to live and worship.—
The Editors,
National Review,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share