DEIFY Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

deify

verb

ˈdē-ə-ˌfī

Definition of deify

as in to adore

to love or admire too much materialistic people who deify money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to venerate

to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power some ancient pagans deified such objects of nature as trees and rivers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to elevate

to assign a high status or value to the sense of entitlement felt by athletes who have been deified all their lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 deify As a consequence, people, still possessed by religious longings, tend to deify the country. — Ha Jin july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025 Giuliani was pretty unpopular by the end of his second term and then 9/11 happened and he was deified. — Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025 While the titan from Krypton can often seem stoic and deified, Corenswet's Kal-El can be quite passionate about his views and express them loudly. — EW.com, 10 June 2025 His resume speaks for itself — no need for the on-air cast to go overboard in deifying him. — Richard Deitsch, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deify

Verb

Back on property, the outdoor pool sits peacefully at the edge of the vineyard next to two large oaks (one of which has a storybook-like swing hanging from it, which the youngest guests adored).

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
These cheery yellow flowers produce a thin, needlelike seed that is rich with oil and dense with nutrients that towhees, nuthatches, cardinals and even robins adore into January.

— Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of adore

Verb

Reed, venerated for his solo artistry and collaborations with the Velvet Underground, is a quintessential New York City artist of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
The kids who venerate McQueen as a fashion figurehead these days, after all, are likely to be found at the Cyberdog, just like McGirr once was.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of venerate

Verb

Where a sneaker or flat might’ve kept the outfit in the casual realm, the trendy pump silhouette elevated the ensemble a notch.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
The agency will also hike the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax, elevating the taxable income limit from $184,500 to $192,300.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

In Jennifer’s Body, Needy (Seyfried) is BFFs with the titular mean girl played by Fox, whose body becomes possessed by a succubus with a taste for teen boys after a botched sacrifice by a devil-worshipping boy band (led by Adam Brody).

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
While many Hindus worship Rama, Sita and Hanuman as deities, Hindu nationalists have also presented Rama as a historical figure – the legendary ruler of the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya.

— Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of worship

Verb

Both those historic actions happened as part of the Biden administration's focus on anti-money laundering and efforts to promote compliance with the then-emerging virtual currency industry.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
One of Mitte’s last posts on Instagram this week promoted those showings.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of promote

Verb

Terry Kay liked to tell the story of how he was coerced into writing his first novel by Pat Conroy, who told his literary agent Kay had written a brilliant manuscript.

— Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
And yet, when CNN Sports asked to speak with people who bet on sports but don’t like prediction markets partnering with sports leagues, teams or athletes themselves, Allison was among the dozens of fans who reached out.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

Her dense imagery, exalting family and the Black communities of her native Columbus, Ohio, made her one of America’s great storytellers in any medium.

— Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Mercury is exalted in Virgo until September 10, so the first part of the month is a good time to get into the logistical weeds about it.

— Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of exalt

Browse Nearby Words

deifies

deify

deifying

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Deify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deify. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of deify

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes