1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much
a singing star so canonized by his fans that they refuse to believe anything bad about him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to elevate
to assign a high status or value to
those movie buffs who have canonized Alfred Hitchcock as filmdom's preeminent director
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canonize
Nagahisa ultimately blends the digital with the all-too-real in innovative, haunting, formally exhilarating ways; he should be canonized alongside Jane Schoenbrun and French director duo Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel.
—
Blake Simons, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
Walpole was canonized as a saint in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
In the days after Kirk’s killing, that concern spilled into public view, as attempts by Netanyahu and prominent supporters of Israel to canonize the Turning Point founder as a Zionist to the end were refuted by Kirk’s close associates, many of whom are major players in the MAGA movement.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The teen died of leukemia in 2006 and was canonized in September.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canonize
Blake Simons, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
Walpole was canonized as a saint in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Jan. 2026
In the days after Kirk’s killing, that concern spilled into public view, as attempts by Netanyahu and prominent supporters of Israel to canonize the Turning Point founder as a Zionist to the end were refuted by Kirk’s close associates, many of whom are major players in the MAGA movement.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The teen died of leukemia in 2006 and was canonized in September.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canonize
Verb
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League handlers gave Heidenreich a chance to walk through the crowd and dap up the adoring fans.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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This affectionate boy adores people, thrives on human attention and will happily lean in for pets, snuggles or just to be close.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the evenings, Sankofa hosts film screenings and book talks to elevate the work of Black filmmakers and authors.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
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Just coming in, being able to get a fresh start, being able to get around some great people and just being able to elevate at the end of the day.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and in 1977, the state built an obelisk on the church’s grounds to honor Benjamin Banneker, a naturalist and mathematician who reportedly worshipped at the church during the early 1800s.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
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Takaichi notably did not worship at Yasukuni personally, instead sending her offerings through an intermediary.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Yankees are expected to promote a reliever in his place on Monday.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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The walk is open to anyone who wants to come together to promote lung health and help raise funds for research, advocacy and treatments.—
Marcella Baietto,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His mom likes another young lady for her son, not my daughter.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Knicks head coach Mike Brown likes to carry an iPad with him.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Iron Maiden have always shrugged off other people’s attempts to enshrine their legacy.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
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But efforts to enshrine such protections into state law failed under the Gold Dome earlier this year.—
Kristi Swartz,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canonize. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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