Glorify — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈglȯr-ə-ˌfī/ glo·ri·fy

Meaning & Definition of Glorify

Glorify (verb)

  1. to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration
  2. to elevate to celestial glory
  3. to light up brilliantly

Glorify (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to assign a high status or value to

    "a number of big names were recruited in the hopes that their presence would glorify the university's school of medicine in the eyes of the medical world"

    similar: aggrandize, canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, exalt, magnify
    related: boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift, heighten, intensify, idealize, romanticize, sanitize, sugarcoat, acclaim, extol, honor, laud, praise
    opposite: abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate
    near: belittle, decry, depreciate, detract, disparage, minimize

  2. to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power

    "let us now glorify the Lord"

    similar: adore, deify, revere, reverence, venerate, worship
    related: admire, honor, love, regard, respect, apotheosize, canonize, dignify, exalt, lionize, magnify, extol, laud, praise, delight, gratify, please, satisfy
    near: blaspheme, desecrate, profane, violate, affront, dishonor, disrespect, insult, offend, outrage, pique, ridicule, scorn, slight, displease, defame, disparage, libel, malign, slander, slur, smear

  3. to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively

    "fond parents who glorify everything that their precious offspring do"

    similar: ballyhoo, blow up, crack up, cry up, tout, trumpet, tub-thump
    related: acclaim, applaud, extol, laud, magnify, commend, compliment, eulogize, advance, advertise, announce, blare, blaze, blazon, boost, herald, offer, plug, promote, publicize, assert, aver, claim, declare, lay down, make out, proclaim, pronounce

  4. to proclaim the glory of

    "the hillsides ablaze in red and gold silently glorify New England in the fall"

    similar: bless, carol, celebrate, emblazon, exalt, extol, hymn, laud, magnify, praise, resound
    related: adore, belaud, deify, idolize, worship, acclaim, applaud, commend, compliment, hail, renown, salute, chant, cheer, eulogize, rhapsodize, cite, flatter, crack up, recommend, tout
    near: blame, censure, reprehend, reprobate, criticize, reprove, admonish, chide, keelhaul, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, castigate, lambaste

  5. to represent or think of as better than reality would warrant

    "don't let the job title team spirit coordinator fool you—he's nothing more than a glorified college cheerleader"

    similar: glamorize, glamour (up), idealize, romanticize
    related: heroicize, heroize, euphemize, poeticize, soften, sweeten, adulate, canonize, deify, idolize, aggrandize, dignify, ennoble, enshrine, enthrone, magnify
    opposite: deglamorize
    near: belittle, decry, denigrate, deprecate, disparage, minimize, put down

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Glorify

The most common words with a similar meaning to Glorify:

aggrandize, canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, exalt, magnify, adore, revere, reverence, venerate, worship, ballyhoo, blow up, crack up, cry up, tout, trumpet, tub-thump, bless, carol, celebrate, emblazon, extol, hymn, laud, praise, resound, glamorize, glamour (up), idealize, romanticize

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Glorify

Words with the opposite meaning of Glorify:

abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, deglamorize

Related Words for Glorify

boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift, heighten, intensify, sanitize, sugarcoat, acclaim, honor, admire, love, regard, respect, apotheosize, lionize, delight, gratify, please, satisfy, applaud, commend, compliment, eulogize, advance, advertise, announce, blare

Near Antonyms of Glorify

belittle, decry, depreciate, detract, disparage, minimize, blaspheme, desecrate, profane, violate, affront, dishonor, disrespect, insult, offend, outrage, pique, ridicule, scorn, slight, displease, defame, libel, malign, slander, slur, smear, blame, censure, reprehend

Word Forms of Glorify

Inflections: glorified, glorifying

Derived words: glorification (noun), glorifier (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Glorify

Middle English glorifien, from Anglo-French glorifier, from Late Latin glorificare, from gloria

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Glorify

What does "Glorify" mean?

"Glorify" means to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration. As a verb, it is defined as: to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Glorify"?

Other words for "Glorify" include aggrandize, canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine and ensky. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Glorify" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Glorify"?

There are 98 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Glorify". Common alternatives include aggrandize, canonize, deify, dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone and exalt.

What is the opposite of "Glorify"?

Antonyms of "Glorify" include abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate and deglamorize. Near antonyms include belittle, decry, depreciate and detract.

How do you use "Glorify" in a sentence?

Examples of "Glorify" in a sentence: "a number of big names were recruited in the hopes that their presence would glorify the university's school of medicine in the eyes of the medical world"; "let us now glorify the Lord"; "fond parents who glorify everything that their precious offspring do".

Is "Glorify" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Glorify" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Glorify"?

"Glorify" is pronounced /ˈglȯr-ə-ˌfī/ and divided into syllables as glo·ri·fy.

What is the origin of the word "Glorify"?

"Glorify" comes from Middle English glorifien, from Anglo-French glorifier, from Late Latin glorificare, from gloria. First known use: 14th century.