What does glorifying mean?
Glorifying is the present participle of glorify, meaning to praise someone or something as highly admirable, excellent, or worthy of honour. It is especially associated with public celebration, religious language, and the elevation of people, achievements, or ideals. In neutral contexts, the word can describe sincere praise, as in glorifying a person's generosity or courage. More often, however, it carries a critical edge: to say that a film or advertisement glorifies violence, wealth, or selfishness is to suggest that it presents those things as admirable without examining their costs or contradictions. The word therefore occupies an interesting middle ground between ordinary praise and one-sided idealization. It is useful whenever the distinction between honouring something and making it appear flawless matters.
verbGlorifying means praising someone or something as highly worthy, admirable, or excellent. It can also mean presenting something in an idealized or excessively favourable light.
- Praising or extolling someone or something as admirable, excellent, or worthy of honour.
- Presenting someone or something in an idealized, overly favourable, or even distorted light.
"The documentary was accused of glorifying the dictator's rule rather than examining its abuses."
"The ceremony gathered the community to glorify the volunteers who had cared for the flood victims."
"The advertisement was criticized for glorifying a lifestyle that is financially accessible to very few people."
Glorifying can turn a person into an icon or an idea into a virtue, but its frequent modern use in criticism warns against elevating anything to unquestioning praise.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does glorifying come from?
Glorifying comes from the English verb glorify, which developed in late Middle English from Old French glorifier, ultimately from Latin glorificare, “to make glorious or famous.” The Latin word was based on gloriosus, “glorious,” from gloria, “glory” or “honour.” The modern -ing form follows the ordinary English pattern of forming present participles and gerunds. Related words include glory, glorious, glorification, and glorifier.
Related word forms
How glorifying is actually used
Glorifying is the present participle and gerund of glorify. It is common in formal and journalistic writing and often has a critical connotation when it suggests excessive, unquestioning praise; phrases such as “glorifying violence” are usually negative.
Easily confused with glorifying
Glamorizing means making something or someone seem especially attractive or exciting, whereas glorifying means praising something as admirable or presenting it as worthy of honour.