1
as in to purge
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially
received the sacrament of penance, whereby they were sanctified and restored to divine grace
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2
as in to bless
to make holy through prayers or ritual
sanctify the bread for Communion
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Recent Examples of sanctify
With an original seating capacity of 800 on 20 rows of pews divided into three sections, the buff brick church, trimmed in limestone, was sanctified almost 70 years ago in 1955.
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Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 12 May 2024
The priest at the church, which had been sanctified by the recent arrival of some saintly relics from Rome, tried talking to the demon living in the girl’s body.
—Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
If Saturday’s game likely won’t be as low-scoring affair as the one Rice sanctified 100 years ago, both offenses may be in for a long day; having given up just 10.3 points per game this season, Army boasts the game’s second-stingiest D, while the Irish are No. 3 (11.4).
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024
The same mirrors that were instruments for Jewish continuity in Egypt helped sanctify the basin used by the priests to prepare themselves for the Temple service.
—Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 12 May 2024
The priest at the church, which had been sanctified by the recent arrival of some saintly relics from Rome, tried talking to the demon living in the girl’s body.
—Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
If Saturday’s game likely won’t be as low-scoring affair as the one Rice sanctified 100 years ago, both offenses may be in for a long day; having given up just 10.3 points per game this season, Army boasts the game’s second-stingiest D, while the Irish are No. 3 (11.4).
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024
The same mirrors that were instruments for Jewish continuity in Egypt helped sanctify the basin used by the priests to prepare themselves for the Temple service.
—Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sanctify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctify
Verb
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Crow said the party needs to keep open arms to welcome back voters who picked Trump in the 2024 election, not purge all but the purists.—
Mike Allen,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
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The new administration is intent on wiping out DEI programs and purging those who supported them, even if their only sin was attending a diversity training seminar.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That’s exactly what happens, but our eyes (which are not blessed with high dynamic range) see a bright side of the moon and an almost black side as Earth’s shadow travels across it.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
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Pope Francis blesses ashes: Marks Ash Wednesday as health stable A day earlier, Francis marked Ash Wednesday by blessing ashes and placing a call from his hospital room to a Gaza parish.—
John Bacon,
USA TODAY,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Curcumin: It's extracted from turmeric and purified to create a product containing only curcumin and very little of the other parts of turmeric.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
3 Mar. 2025
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Bija Clarifying Cleansing Foam Start and end your day with this refreshing cleansing foam that clarifies and purifies your skin.—
Maria Correa,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Bergoglio was consecrated into the priesthood as a Jesuit, a religious order explicitly averse to moving up within the ranks of the church hierarchy.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
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The creators of this medieval masterpiece have been lost to time, but it’s believed to have been commissioned by Odo, bishop of Bayeux and William’s half-brother, to decorate the nave of the new cathedral of Notre-Dame of Bayeux, which was consecrated in 1077.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sanctify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctify. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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