LIONIZE Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

lionize

verb

Definition of lionize

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.

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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 In the early days of the war, Union troops from Boston had borrowed the familiar melody of a religious camp meeting song and added new lyrics lionizing John Brown, the leader of the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 There are episodes that reflect the tendency to lionize the Founders in a way that is incomplete. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026 Greenspan was the rare celebrity among central bankers, lionized for his economic stewardship in the 1990s. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 22 June 2026 Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lionize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionize

Verb

Measuring more than 10 feet by 9 feet, Amwan Agwe… (2026), for example, depicts green hills and blue waves alongside the skulls, candles, and fish that nod to Fèt Gede, Haiti’s annual festival honoring the spirits of the dead.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
On Tuesday night at the Prospect Park Borough building, they were honored as outstanding citizens for their quick thinking, courage and life-saving acts.

— Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of honor

Verb

As of February of this year, Eschenbach is out and Bhusri has, in a maneuver that Disney’s Bob Iger might admire, boomeranged back into the hot seat for one last job, Ocean’s Eleven style.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
There's so much to admire about scouting - young people away from screens, spending time in nature, doing community service, and gaining life and leadership skills.

— Juli McDonald, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of admire

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

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

Verb

Washington needs to exercise a restrained and lawful brand of hegemony in the Western Hemisphere, respecting the sovereignty of its neighbors and pursuing mutual gains.

— Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
There’s currently a petition circulating among them urging national leaders to respect their vote to endorse Raman.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of respect

Verb

Maiava echoed Riley’s sentiment when asked about Dyakonov, praising his ability to fill in for Paige on short notice.

— Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Prior to the first game of the ALCS, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt praised the Tampa Bay and Cleveland general managers respectively.

— Isaac Tellechea, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of praise

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

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lionizations

lionize

lionized

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“Lionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionize. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of lionize

verb

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