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verb B2 Upper-Intermediate

glorify

GLAW-rih-feye

Glorify (verb) means to praise someone or something highly, or treat it as deserving great honour. Example: “The film has been criticized for glorifying violence.”

verb
1
To praise someone or something highly, or treat it as deserving great honour.
"The film has been criticized for glorifying violence."
"Hymns glorify God through song."
2
To make something seem more impressive or wonderful than it really is.
"Old war stories tend to glorify the past."

How to use glorify

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo praise something as great, or to make it look greater than it is.

Common pairings
glorify violence glorify God glorify the past

Word forms

glorified past tense, glorifies singular

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Can you complete this real example?

The film has been criticized for _____ violence.

Etymology

From Old French glorifier, from Late Latin glorificare, built from Latin gloria ("glory") plus a verb ending meaning "to make."

Origin: Late Latin

Related words

Rhymes for glorify

See all rhymes for glorify →

Frequently asked questions

What does “glorify” mean?

The word “glorify” means to praise someone or something highly, or treat it as deserving great honour. In plain terms, to praise something as great, or to make it look greater than it is.

How do you pronounce “glorify”?

“Glorify” is pronounced GLAW-rih-feye (/ˈɡlɔːɹɪfaɪ/ in IPA).

How do you use “glorify” in a sentence?

Here is “glorify” used in a sentence: “The film has been criticized for glorifying violence.”

What is another word for “glorify”?

Words with a similar meaning to “glorify” include aggrandize, applaud, enthrone, appraise, belaud and bepraise.

What is the opposite of “glorify”?

The opposite of “glorify” — its antonyms — are criticize, defame, demean, slander and villify.

What part of speech is “glorify”?

“Glorify” is a verb.

Where does the word “glorify” come from?

The word “glorify” comes from Late Latin. From Old French glorifier, from Late Latin glorificare, built from Latin gloria ("glory") plus a verb ending meaning "to make.".

How many meanings does “glorify” have?

“Glorify” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to praise someone or something highly, or treat it as deserving great honour.

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