LIONIZING Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

lionizing

verb

present participle of lionize

as in honoring

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 lionizing 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 That brings us back to the folly of lionizing Kent as a conscientious objector to Trump and the president’s hawkish foreign policy as of late. — David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026 Los Angeles educators were also directed to immediately shift from lionizing Chávez to honoring instead the farmworkers’ movement. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026 Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia. — Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionizing

Verb

Fetterman was part of a small group of senators who attended a memorial dinner for Graham last month and sat on the bus with the McCormicks for the public ceremony honoring him the following day.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
Garver also recently released her latest book, Romancing With the Stars, and will next embark on a 60th anniversary celebrity cruise honoring six decades of Family Affair before heading to Australia to produce a movie adapted from Pollyanna.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of honoring

Verb

Both are worth admiring from the outside, though the courthouse is open to the public during business hours while the opera house generally opens only for performances and special events.

— Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Yet admiring the show isn’t as simple as stepping outside and looking up—especially for those living in cities and suburbs.

— Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of admiring

Verb

For this reason, many are praising OpenAI for its transparency and candor around the event.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
If, for example, a commencement speaker praising the value of artificial intelligence is met with jeers from graduates – as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was in May 2026 – the speaker’s message is immediately rendered inert.

— Evan Clarkson, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of praising

Verb

Our history is complex but acknowledging its complexity shouldn't be considered inconsistent with loving our country and revering its founders.

— New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026
What these men accomplished is worth remembering and revering even as their number dwindles.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026

Definition of revering

Verb

Jellicle Ball joins that lineage, inviting its audience to experience the joys of the Black and Latino ball scene while venerating its bittersweet roots.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Exquisite dribblers such as Olise need protecting and venerating.

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026

Definition of venerating

Verb

The influencer had amassed 50,000 followers, but not by respecting the boundaries of personal space — let alone the legal consequences of non-consensual filming inside a changing room.

— Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
Finally, connect by truly listening, giving full attention and respecting silences.

— Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of respecting

Verb

That was more than 25 years ago now, but the town retains the same residential, wave-worshipping vibes.

— Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026
Set in a Manhattan luxury building whose Satan-worshipping tenants engage in ritualistic killings, the movie starred Zazie Beetz.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of worshipping

Verb

This has been an awesome showcase of American community, with our own USMNT support and other countries’ diasporas springing up exalting watch parties all over the place.

— Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 19 July 2026
The story goes that Balanchine was so struck by the multi-colored glow of the jewelry displays at the Van Cleef & Arpels New York showroom that this led him to create a dance exalting their beauty.

— Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026

Definition of exalting

Browse Nearby Words

lionizes

lionizing

lions

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“Lionizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionizing. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of lionizing

verb

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