as in admired
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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Recent Examples of lionized
That was under a government led by the founders of the state, and much lionized by liberal Zionists.
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
On Sunday, he was lionized as a Christian martyr and patriot committed to free expression and challenging liberal orthodoxy.
—Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Conservatives memorialize Kirk as 'martyr' and 'warrior' Kirk was lionized by several speakers as a modern-day martyr, many using the word in the context of his Christian faith.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2025
Barry Goldwater thundered against centralized power, Ronald Reagan lionized hands-off government and liberty, and even Richard Nixon respected certain limits.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionized
Verb
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One of the things owner Steve Bisciotti so admired about Harbaugh was his willingness to look inward to improve and evolve as a coach every year.—
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Widely admired for her skills behind the wheel, she was often called upon to train fellow officers at the Greensboro Police Department.—
Verb
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On January 12, two weeks after her death, Jack honored his sister in his first event on the campaign trail after the tragic loss.—
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Thirty years later, Pac’s Maryland roots will be honored by the hometown Os.—
Verb
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Salazar, who is out of minor-league options, is revered for his game calling and baseball intellect.—
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Still, their esoteric acid rock was revered and adored by their huge and loyal fanbase, known as Deadheads.—
Verb
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Special teams coordinator Tracy Smith has also routinely praised Scott’s willingness to do whatever is asked of him.—
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Officials praised the responders and said many of them received specialized water rescue training thanks to a federal grant.—
Verb
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Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected.—
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In Europe, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged all parties to de-escalate tensions and act responsibly, stressing that international law and the UN Charter must be respected.—
Verb
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Yoji shared that venerated director Akira Kurosawa always said that the camera should never be on stage when shooting a kabuki performance, nor move around to get close to the actors.—
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This is something new in the techno-sphere that for the longest time elevated and venerated the founder/CEO as superstar.—
Verb
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Irish, Italian, German, and Polish communities each worshipped—in Latin—at their own churches, often within blocks of one another.—
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As their youngest uncle, Turner’s nieces and nephews worshiped him.—
Cite this Entry
“Lionized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionized. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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