lionization

noun

Definition of lionizationnext
as in praise

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Example Sentences

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 lionization If the diary entries are any indication, Fauci, in the midst of the pandemic, also savored his own press coverage and lionization. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 But the tonal change from braggadocio to lionization is notable, Reisman slipping at times into the giddiness of a die-hard fan meeting their idols. — Julien Levy, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lionization
  1. praise
  2. adoration
  3. deference
  4. reverence
  5. approbation
  6. idolatry
  7. worship
  8. admiration
Noun
  • Sony revived Resident Evil last month and HBO drew big viewership and critical praise with The Last of Us, just to name a couple of recent success stories.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Posters of Kate Moss photographed by Juergen Teller have been plastered over the city and praise for the exhibition has been handed largely to Enninful.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of praise
Noun
  • And yet, when Szumowska and Englert portray Fyodor’s reaction to the couple’s pregnancy, the birth of their child, and a subsequent tragedy, Anna’s adoration for this utterly flawed man almost feels justified.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So, too, do the antics of his estate manager (a buoyant Sam Adegoke), always concocting money-making schemes, and the wide-eyed adoration of the girl next door (Amelia Mason, deftly balancing naïveté with seductiveness), who wants to save him.
    — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of adoration
Noun
  • Jeff Bezos is one of the richest men in the world, so he’s used to being treated with certain deference and most doors being open to him.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And the most important one in this context is Chevron deference.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of deference
Noun
  • The importance of his work, the difficulty of it—the Hollywood reverence almost distorts it.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Each critic portrayed the historical monument as an object of reverence owing to age, with specific reference to the psycho-historical implications of restoration or, conversely, of neglect.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of reverence
Noun
  • The team was slated for elimination under funding cuts for the upcoming fiscal year, following the approbation of a $9 billion budget, outlining $57 million in cuts to general fund departments, through a 4-1 vote on June 10.
    — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • This too is greeted with collective approbation; everyone recognizes that this is the right thing to do.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Definition of approbation
Noun
  • The market for racial idolatry in sports media has collapsed.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Assad regime cultivated idolatry and many had been happy to oblige it.
    — Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of idolatry
Noun
  • Hegseth has infused his evangelical Christianity into his leadership of the Pentagon, hosting Christian worship services for employees and often speaking of the United States as a Christian nation.
    — Tiffany Stanley, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • For the first time in 25 years, the number of people attending in-person worship in the US has increased, according to a new study from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of worship
Noun
  • My admiration extends to the unerring precision of their filmmaking.
    — Justin Chang, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The work earned Barber the admiration of President Bill Clinton and became a best-seller in paperback following the 9/11 attacks.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of admiration

Browse Nearby Words

lionhearted
lionization
lionizations
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Cite this Entry

“Lionization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lionization. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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