glorify
gb/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ/ us/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
praise someone or something greatly
to praise someone or something a lot
Usage pattern:
glorify [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Don’t use it for small compliments; it usually suggests strong or exaggerated praise.
Synonyms
extol (More formal; emphasizes enthusiastic praise.)
|
celebrate (Often focuses on public recognition or approval.)
Antonyms
criticize (Expresses disapproval instead of praise.)
|
denigrate (Strongly attacks someone’s worth or reputation.)
Collocations
glorify a hero
|glorify a leader
|glorify success
|glorify achievement
|glorify a victory
|glorify the nation
|glorify the brand
|glorify someone in the press
Themes
communication
|opinions
|media
Examples
- The article glorified the scientist’s achievements and ignored her setbacks.
- Fans often glorify athletes who win at any cost.
- The speech glorified the sacrifices of ordinary workers.
Learner examples
- The movie glorifies its main character.
- Some people glorify fame.
Verb
C1
action
2
make something seem admirable
to make something bad look good
Usage pattern:
glorify [something]
Common mistake:
Often carries criticism: if you ‘glorify’ violence or crime, you are accused of approving it.
Synonyms
romanticize (Suggests making something seem more appealing by focusing on pleasant details.)
|
whitewash (Emphasizes hiding or minimizing faults.)
Antonyms
condemn (Openly states strong disapproval.)
|
expose (Shows the reality, especially the negative side.)
Collocations
glorify violence
|glorify war
|glorify crime
|glorify drug use
|glorify unhealthy habits
|glorify the past
|glorify suffering
|glorify risk-taking
Themes
media
|ethics
|opinions
Examples
- Critics said the series glorified gang life.
- The ad was accused of glorifying reckless driving.
- He worries that social media glorifies extreme dieting.
Learner examples
- This game does not glorify violence.
- Some movies glorify war.
Verb
formal
B2
action
3
praise God in worship
to praise God
Usage pattern:
glorify God
Common mistake:
In this sense it usually takes God/Lord as the object; it is not the same as ‘glorify’ meaning ‘make famous.’
Synonyms
praise (Broader and more general; does not always imply worship.)
|
exalt (More solemn; emphasizes lifting God up in honor.)
Antonyms
blaspheme (Shows disrespect toward God, the opposite of honoring.)
Collocations
glorify God
|glorify the Lord
|glorify His name
|glorify God through service
|glorify God in prayer
|glorify God with your life
Themes
religion
Examples
- The choir sang to glorify God.
- They believe their work should glorify the Lord.
- She said the goal of the project was to glorify God through service.
Learner examples
- They meet to glorify God.
- The song glorifies the Lord.
Verb
C1
action
4
praise yourself; boast
to talk about yourself too proudly
Usage pattern:
glorify yourself
Common mistake:
This is usually negative: ‘glorify yourself’ suggests vanity, not healthy confidence.
Synonyms
brag (More informal and direct about talking proudly.)
|
self-promote (Focuses on marketing oneself, often in career contexts.)
Antonyms
downplay (Minimizes one’s importance or achievements.)
|
be modest (Avoids drawing attention to oneself.)
Collocations
glorify yourself
|glorify oneself
|glorify his own role
|glorify her own achievements
|glorify themselves at others' expense
Themes
communication
|social_relations
Examples
- He used the interview to glorify himself rather than discuss the team’s work.
- She dislikes leaders who glorify themselves and ignore everyone else.
- The memoir sometimes seems more interested in glorifying the author than telling the story.
Learner examples
- Don’t glorify yourself in meetings.
Verb
formal
C1
action
5
make something look more impressive
to make something look better
Usage pattern:
glorify [something]
Common mistake:
This sense is less common in everyday speech; ‘enhance’ is usually more natural.
Synonyms
beautify (Focuses mainly on making something more beautiful.)
|
embellish (Adds decorative details; can imply excess.)
Antonyms
spoil (Damages the appearance or effect.)
|
diminish (Makes something seem less impressive.)
Collocations
glorify a room
|glorify the landscape
|glorify the view
|glorify the façade
|glorify the occasion
|glorify the setting
Themes
arts
|daily_life
|design
Examples
- Large windows glorify the view of the river.
- Fresh flowers can glorify even a simple table setting.
- The lighting was designed to glorify the building’s stonework.
Learner examples
- Good lighting can glorify a photo.
Verb
technical
C2
process
6
give a glorified state
in some religions, to make someone perfect after death
Usage pattern:
be glorified; glorify [someone]
Common mistake:
This sense is specialized; in general English ‘glorify’ usually means ‘praise’ rather than a spiritual transformation.
Synonyms
exalt (Can overlap in religious writing, but does not always imply transformation.)
Antonyms
damn (In religious contexts, condemns rather than honors or perfects.)
Collocations
be glorified
|glorify the faithful
|glorified body
|glorified state
|to be raised and glorified
Themes
religion
Examples
- The sermon spoke of believers being glorified after the resurrection.
- In this tradition, the saints are glorified in heaven.
- The text describes Christ as risen and glorified.
Grammar
Dictionary form
glorify
IPA
GB/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ/
US/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ/
Syllables & stress
glor - i - fy (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (glor)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: glorify
- 3rd Person Singular: glorifies
- Present Participle: glorifying
- Past: glorified
Word family
Expressions
glorify god
1/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ ɡˈɑd/
fixed phrase
formal
praise God in worship
to praise God
Examples
- They believe music should glorify God.
- The group volunteers to glorify God through service to others.
glorify the dead
1/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ ðə dˈɛd/
fixed phrase
praise someone after death
to only say good things about someone who died
Examples
- The biography doesn’t glorify the dead; it includes the person’s mistakes as well.
- She refused to glorify the dead and asked people to remember the full truth.
glorify the past
1/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ ðə pˈæst/
fixed phrase
idealize earlier times
to think the past was better than it was
Examples
- It’s easy to glorify the past when you’ve forgotten the difficulties.
- The campaign tried to glorify the past instead of offering practical solutions.
glorify violence
1/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ vˈaɪələns/
fixed phrase
present violence as admirable
to make violence look good
Examples
- Parents complained that the film glorified violence.
- The director insisted the story shows consequences and does not glorify violence.
glorify war
1/ɡlˈɔɹɪfˌaɪ wˈɔɹ/
fixed phrase
portray war as heroic
to make war seem exciting or heroic
Examples
- Some historians argue that monuments can unintentionally glorify war.
- The novel refuses to glorify war and focuses on civilian losses.