lionize

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lionize" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the act of treating someone as a celebrity or giving them great public attention and approval. Example: "The media tends to lionize successful entrepreneurs, often overlooking their failures and struggles."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It's easy to lionize and forget what courage goes into that kind of lionization.

The New Yorker

Whether you choose to lionize or denounce them, at least Lenin and Trotsky knew roughly what a revolution was.

Independent

When the beach cats lionize beach grass, they owe.

The New Yorker

He could relate to Kerouac as a young man from a small declining industrial town who had come to New York as a cultural outsider more than twenty years earlier — an unknown bursting with ideas and whom the insiders proceeded either to lionize or to condemn, and, in any case, badly misconstrue.

The New Yorker

The last decade has seen the rise of a host of European-based groups that lionize Malcolm and draw on the Black Power movement: the Arab European League of Belgium, the Natives of the Republic in France, the Pantrarna of Sweden, and the Black Panthers of Greece.

The New Yorker

At the heart of the island's twenty-seven-billion-dollar development are several ambitious museum projects, including a Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim; the first branch of the Louvre outside of France; and the Zayed National Museum, a towering cluster of wing-shaped atriums that will lionize the U.A.E.-unifier Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The New Yorker

Parody of the current tendency to lionize Nazi figures.

The New Yorker

We expect our jazz heroes to be solitary, dyspeptic, opaque figures, but Jones is so open — and so quick to lionize his fellow-musicians — that he seems transparent: you can see a whole world of popular music in him.

The New Yorker

Crocket argued that, at a place like Princeton, "where nuance and critical thinking is the norm, or at least should be, we can't lionize any one particular figure without criticism".

The New Yorker

Hollywood and Bollywood writers and producers should lionize the democratic heroes who took to the streets to challenge the orthodoxy of fear.

The New York Times

But in his quest to lionize his central character, Mr. Zuckerman rushes past what by all rights should have been the most shocking revelation in his book.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "lionize" when you want to emphasize the act of treating someone as a celebrity or giving them great public attention and approval. It's particularly effective when highlighting how society or a specific group elevates an individual.

Common error

Avoid using "lionize" in casual conversation or informal writing. The term carries a formal connotation and can sound out of place in everyday contexts. Opt for simpler alternatives like "admire" or "respect" in less formal settings.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "lionize" is as a transitive verb. It describes the action of treating someone with great importance or as a celebrity. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in various contexts, like the media's tendency to "lionize" entrepreneurs.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

99%

Science

0.3%

Formal & Business

0.3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lionize" functions as a transitive verb that denotes the act of treating an individual with celebrity-like importance. As Ludwig AI confirms, the term is grammatically sound and commonly used, particularly within News & Media sources. It is most effective when you aim to emphasize societal elevation or analyze the process of bestowing public admiration. While versatile, "lionize" is best reserved for neutral or formal contexts; it would be advisable to opt for alternatives such as ""celebrate"" or "admire" in casual conversations or informal writings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

celebrate

Focuses on the act of recognizing and enjoying someone's achievements or qualities, but doesn't necessarily imply elevation.

idolize

Implies a higher level of admiration and often involves seeing someone as perfect or without flaws.

glorify

Suggests enhancing someone's image to make them appear more impressive or heroic, sometimes exaggerating their qualities.

venerate

Conveys a sense of deep respect and reverence, often associated with religious or historical figures.

exalt

Means to elevate someone to a higher rank or position, often through praise or recognition.

aggrandize

Highlights the act of increasing someone's power, status, or wealth, often in an excessive or boastful way.

deify

Implies treating someone as a god or goddess, attributing divine qualities to them.

pay homage to

Suggests showing respect and honor to someone, often through a formal act or tribute.

esteem

Emphasizes holding someone in high regard and valuing their qualities or achievements.

look up to

Indicates admiring someone and using them as a role model or source of inspiration.

FAQs

How can I use "lionize" in a sentence?

You can use "lionize" to describe the act of treating someone as a celebrity or giving them great public attention. For example, "The media tends to "lionize" successful entrepreneurs, often overlooking their failures and struggles."

What words can I use instead of "lionize"?

Alternatives to "lionize" include "celebrate", "glorify", or "idolize", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "lionize" someone?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to use "lionize" to describe the action of treating someone with great importance or as a celebrity. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable in written English.

What's the difference between "lionize" and "admire"?

"Admire" generally means to regard someone with respect or approval, whereas "lionize" implies a more public and often exaggerated form of admiration, treating someone as a celebrity.