Deify
verb
To treat or worship someone or something as a god.
In ancient Rome, emperors were often deified after their death.
Often appears as...
- deify a person
- deify an object
Usage tips
Formal
Historical
verb
To admire or love someone so much that you think she/he is perfect.
In our culture, we tend to deify celebrities, even though they're only human.
Often appears as...
- deify a celebrity
- deify a hero
verb
To glorify or exalt to the highest degree.
The writer had a knack for deifying simple acts of kindness.
Often appears as...
- deify an act
- deify a virtue
Usage tips
Formal
verb
To treat or worship someone or something as a god.
In ancient Rome, emperors were often deified after their death.
Often appears as...
- deify a person
- deify an object
Usage tips
Formal
Historical
verb
To admire or love someone so much that you think she/he is perfect.
In our culture, we tend to deify celebrities, even though they're only human.
Often appears as...
- deify a celebrity
- deify a hero
verb
To glorify or exalt to the highest degree.
The writer had a knack for deifying simple acts of kindness.
Often appears as...
- deify an act
- deify a virtue
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Antiquity Connections
The concept often relates to historical figures or entities revered in myths or religions.
Some cultures would deify the sun as a powerful god.
Pro Tip 2/3Literal vs. Metaphorical
It can be a genuine religious act or a metaphor for extreme admiration.
She joked that her mother would deify the family cat because of its grace.
Pro Tip 3/3Rare Modern Usage
The term isn't commonly used in everyday contemporary speech.
Although seldom heard today, to deify generals was common in past civilizations.
Pro Tip 1/3Antiquity Connections
The concept often relates to historical figures or entities revered in myths or religions.
Some cultures would deify the sun as a powerful god.
Pro Tip 2/3Literal vs. Metaphorical
It can be a genuine religious act or a metaphor for extreme admiration.
She joked that her mother would deify the family cat because of its grace.
Pro Tip 3/3Rare Modern Usage
The term isn't commonly used in everyday contemporary speech.
Although seldom heard today, to deify generals was common in past civilizations.
Pro Tip 1/3Antiquity Connections
The concept often relates to historical figures or entities revered in myths or religions.
Some cultures would deify the sun as a powerful god.
Pro Tip 2/3Literal vs. Metaphorical
It can be a genuine religious act or a metaphor for extreme admiration.
She joked that her mother would deify the family cat because of its grace.
Pro Tip 3/3Rare Modern Usage
The term isn't commonly used in everyday contemporary speech.
Although seldom heard today, to deify generals was common in past civilizations.
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Video examples
Terry Hunt and Carl...
from and they did statue carving for religious reasons it makes perfect sense imagine their perspective on this we build statues and monuments to our deified ancestors because it's the right thing to do going back in time they
Video examples
3 ways to create a space...
he had self-actualized. He was literally standing on a floating plexiglass deck over his adoring fans, who had no choice but to praise to Yeezus up above. He had deified himself. You can't become Yeezus in your living room.
Video examples
History vs. Andrew...
A national hero? Or public enemy number one? Historical figures are often controversial, but few were as deified or vilified in their lifetime
Video examples
Terry Hunt and Carl...
from and they did statue carving for religious reasons it makes perfect sense imagine their perspective on this we build statues and monuments to our deified ancestors because it's the right thing to do going back in time they
Video examples
3 ways to create a space...
he had self-actualized. He was literally standing on a floating plexiglass deck over his adoring fans, who had no choice but to praise to Yeezus up above. He had deified himself. You can't become Yeezus in your living room.
Video examples
History vs. Andrew...
A national hero? Or public enemy number one? Historical figures are often controversial, but few were as deified or vilified in their lifetime
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
David Shields
American Author
I think the core of fans' relationship is one that vacillates schizophrenically and mercurially from reverence to resentment. Fans fetishize the players' athletic genius and both deify it and demonize it; witness the way awe turns into anger whenever a player holds out or flips off the offensive coordinator.
Quote examples
Mark Frost
American Novelist
In the fun house of today's metastisizing sports-entertainment megaplex, when every day brings another story revealing how these 'heroes' we create are fashioned from base clay, a pause might be in order to reflect on athletes who actually embodied the qualities we think we admire in the too-easily deified.
Quote examples
Mark Kurlansky
American Journalist
Things that become important to economies become ritualized and become deified. Because I'm Jewish, I always thought it was interesting that in Judaism, salt seals a bargain, particularly the covenant with God. Some people, when they bless bread, they dip it in salt. Same thing exists in Islam.
Quote examples
Marshall Goldsmith
American Coach
We deify willpower and self-control - and mock its absence. People who achieve through remarkable willpower are 'strong' and 'heroic.' People who need help or structure are 'weak.' This is crazy - because few of us can accurately gauge or predict our willpower.
Quote examples
Padmapriya Janakiraman
Indian Actress
I started dancing at a young age. When I became busy with films and studies, dance took a back seat. Also, it was constricting for someone like me, who is not religious, to do something which is so deified.
Quote examples
H. W. Brands
American Historian
Reagan has been deified by the Republican Party, which is odd. The Reagan that modern Republicans revere is not the real Reagan.
Quote examples
Mariella Frostrup
British Journalist
When a father of a daughter dies, you elevate them. And you sort of deify them.
Quote examples
Nicholas Galitzine
English Actor
I think in the media we tend to deify people in these public spaces.
Quote examples
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
American Actor
There's no royalty in America, so people deify actors.
Quote examples
David Shields
American Author
I think the core of fans' relationship is one that vacillates schizophrenically and mercurially from reverence to resentment. Fans fetishize the players' athletic genius and both deify it and demonize it; witness the way awe turns into anger whenever a player holds out or flips off the offensive coordinator.
Quote examples
Mark Frost
American Novelist
In the fun house of today's metastisizing sports-entertainment megaplex, when every day brings another story revealing how these 'heroes' we create are fashioned from base clay, a pause might be in order to reflect on athletes who actually embodied the qualities we think we admire in the too-easily deified.
Quote examples
Mark Kurlansky
American Journalist
Things that become important to economies become ritualized and become deified. Because I'm Jewish, I always thought it was interesting that in Judaism, salt seals a bargain, particularly the covenant with God. Some people, when they bless bread, they dip it in salt. Same thing exists in Islam.
Quote examples
Marshall Goldsmith
American Coach
We deify willpower and self-control - and mock its absence. People who achieve through remarkable willpower are 'strong' and 'heroic.' People who need help or structure are 'weak.' This is crazy - because few of us can accurately gauge or predict our willpower.
Quote examples
Padmapriya Janakiraman
Indian Actress
I started dancing at a young age. When I became busy with films and studies, dance took a back seat. Also, it was constricting for someone like me, who is not religious, to do something which is so deified.
Quote examples
H. W. Brands
American Historian
Reagan has been deified by the Republican Party, which is odd. The Reagan that modern Republicans revere is not the real Reagan.
Quote examples
Mariella Frostrup
British Journalist
When a father of a daughter dies, you elevate them. And you sort of deify them.
Quote examples
Nicholas Galitzine
English Actor
I think in the media we tend to deify people in these public spaces.
Quote examples
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
American Actor
There's no royalty in America, so people deify actors.
Example 1 of 9
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