canonize
verb
can·on·ize ˈka-nə-ˌnīz 
canonized ˈka-nə-ˌnīzd
; canonizing
in "Hamlet" usually
kə-ˈnä-ˌnīzd ; canonizing
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
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Examples of canonize in a Sentence
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
Within two years, Pope Gregory IX had canonized him and laid the cornerstone for a basilica to house his tomb. —Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026 His high-end ability has materialized in moments far more consequential than the two-month window of regular-season games used to canonize All-Stars. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026 One of the most iconic couples of the 1990s, Carolyn and John’s place in Kennedy history was canonized by their untimely death by plane crash in 1999. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for canonize
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.
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026 His high-end ability has materialized in moments far more consequential than the two-month window of regular-season games used to canonize All-Stars. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026 One of the most iconic couples of the 1990s, Carolyn and John’s place in Kennedy history was canonized by their untimely death by plane crash in 1999. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for canonize
Cite this Entry
“Canonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/canonize. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
noun
ˌkan-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən
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