1
as in to curse
to ask a divine power to send harm or evil upon
heretics anathematized by the church leaders
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to denounce
to declare to be morally wrong or evil
fundamentalist preachers who anathematize any departure from a literal interpretation of the Bible
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Recent Examples of anathematize
In a democracy, the question of what to do about climate change and for that matter the decision to anathematize entire sectors of the economy ought to be matters for voters not moneymen.
—
Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 9 Dec. 2020
Still, some people now reflexively anathematize this brilliant novel because its self-justifying, unreliable narrator is a pedophile.
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2020
The most serious native challenge to liberalism, made by the slaveholding oligarchy of the Old South, was crushed on the battlefield, and, despite the efforts of an ever-dwindling number of apologists, morally anathematized.
—Park MacDougald, Daily Intelligencer, 27 Feb. 2018
In some ways, the grotesqueries of his persona, rather than anathematizing him to voters, only enhanced his appeal among those wishing for something different.
—Jamelle Bouie, Slate Magazine, 24 Jan. 2017
BuzzFeed was so anathematized that by presser’s end, fellow journalists were picking up their lunch trays and moving to the other side of the cafeteria.
—Will Oremus, Slate Magazine, 12 Jan. 2017
But 33 members of the law faculty published a letter anathematizing her.
—Mona Charen, National Review, 8 Sep. 2017
And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this truce, by the authority of God and with the sanction of this Council he shall be anathematized.
—James Carroll, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2017
Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 9 Dec. 2020
Still, some people now reflexively anathematize this brilliant novel because its self-justifying, unreliable narrator is a pedophile.
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2020
The most serious native challenge to liberalism, made by the slaveholding oligarchy of the Old South, was crushed on the battlefield, and, despite the efforts of an ever-dwindling number of apologists, morally anathematized.
—Park MacDougald, Daily Intelligencer, 27 Feb. 2018
In some ways, the grotesqueries of his persona, rather than anathematizing him to voters, only enhanced his appeal among those wishing for something different.
—Jamelle Bouie, Slate Magazine, 24 Jan. 2017
BuzzFeed was so anathematized that by presser’s end, fellow journalists were picking up their lunch trays and moving to the other side of the cafeteria.
—Will Oremus, Slate Magazine, 12 Jan. 2017
But 33 members of the law faculty published a letter anathematizing her.
—Mona Charen, National Review, 8 Sep. 2017
And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this truce, by the authority of God and with the sanction of this Council he shall be anathematized.
—James Carroll, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anathematize
Verb
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With hands bound together with packing tape, a high school student with Down syndrome was forced to walk around a classroom for hours as a special education teacher cursed at him, Texas police said.—
Kate Linderman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2025
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So why should a coach with back-to-back men’s basketball championships be vilified for cursing at officials?—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Society of Friends was the first religion to officially condemn that horror, but some meetinghouses—which are known for having benches arranged in egalitarian formations—featured segregated seating for Black members.—
Gail Cornwall,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2025
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Cost Of Reciprocal Tariffs China and other parts of the Asia Pacific region, Europe, large portions of South America, and the rest of North America have strongly condemned U.S. actions as an unreasonable overturning of global order, as Reuters has reported.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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One creative and former National Design Award winner, who has a work visa to be in the U.S., criticized the Trump administration, but declined to comment, due to his residency.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
4 Apr. 2025
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On Wednesday, Trump announced sweeping tariffs that have been mostly criticized by agricultural and food groups for their potential to shrink markets for farmers and raise consumer prices.—
Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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President Donald Trump repeatedly tried to blame water issues and the Los Angeles fires on the Newsom administration’s management of Delta water supplies.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Usually that takes the form of falsely blaming Israel for all Palestinian woes instead of recognizing Hamas's strategy of profiting off death, whether Israeli or Palestinian.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anathematize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anathematize. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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