glorify

verb

glo·​ri·​fy ˈglȯr-ə-ˌfī 

glorified; glorifying

transitive verb

1

a

: to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration

b

: to elevate to celestial glory

2

: to light up brilliantly

Chandeliers glorified the entire room.

3

a

: to represent as glorious : extol

a song glorifying romantic love

b

: to cause to be or seem to be better than the actual condition

the new position is just a glorified version of the old stockroom job

4

: to give glory to (as in worship)

glorification

ˌglȯr-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

glorifier

ˈglȯr-ə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms of glorify

• elevate
• promote
• exalt

Examples of glorify in a Sentence

Glorify and give thanks to God.

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The Lesson Travels Beyond Football For anyone who leads an organization, the temptation is to read Argentina and conclude that suffering itself is the asset—to manufacture urgency, glorify overwork, or romanticize crisis. — Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Basically, key cards are glorified versions of digital downloads. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026

Most, in fact, had been glorifying God for years, at church or at home or at soccer matches. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 23 June 2026

Sarnoski shoots everything with overwhelming but legible intensity, neither shying away from the violence nor making an effort to glorify it, and Jackman is similarly stoic in his performance. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for glorify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

glorify

verb

glo·​ri·​fy ˈglōr-ə-ˌfī 

ˈglȯr-

glorified; glorifying

1

: worship entry 2 sense 1, adore

2

: to praise highly

3

: to present in a highly often overly favorable light

glorify war

glorification

ˌglōr-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

ˌglȯr-

noun

glorifier

ˈglōr-ə-fī(-ə)r 

ˈglȯr-

noun