canonize

1 of 2

verb

can·​on·​ize ˈka-nə-ˌnīz 

canonized ˈka-nə-ˌnīzd 

in "Hamlet" usually

kə-ˈnä-ˌnīzd  ; canonizing

transitive verb

1

: to declare (a deceased person) an officially recognized saint

2

: to make canonical

3

: to sanction by ecclesiastical authority

4

: to attribute authoritative sanction or approval to

5

: to treat as illustrious, preeminent, or sacred

… his mother had canonized all his timidities as common sense.

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

canonization

ˌka-nə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

canonization

2 of 2

noun

can·​on·​i·​za·​tion ˌka-nə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

-ˌnī-ˈzā-

plural -s

: the act of canonizing or the state of being canonized

specifically : the final process or decree by which the name of a deceased person is placed in the catalog of saints and commended to perpetual veneration and invocation

Synonyms of canonize

Verb

• adore
• worship
• like

Examples of canonize in a Sentence

Verb

She died 100 years ago and was canonized in Rome last year.

a singing star so canonized by his fans that they refuse to believe anything bad about him

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

She was canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI to become Saint Bernadette. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026

Italian-Americans even launched a campaign to have the explorer canonized. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026

The film doesn’t canonize Heumann, instead showing her as dedicated leader who is also prickly, brash, and set in her ways. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized by Pope Paul VI, becoming the first person born in what's now the United States to be named a Roman Catholic saint. — USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Medieval Latin canonizare, from Late Latin canon catalog of saints, from Latin, standard

Noun

Middle English canonizacioun, from Medieval Latin canonization-, canonizatio, from canonizatus (past participle of canonizare to canonize) + Latin -ion-, -io -ion

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for canonize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

canonize

verb

can·​on·​ize ˈkan-ə-ˌnīz 

canonized; canonizing

1

: to declare to be a saint and worthy of public respect

2

: to treat something as if it were sacred

canonization

ˌkan-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən

noun