Exalt
v.joyful, thoughtfulliterary
What it means
To praise, honor, or raise someone or something to high dignity.
Reach for it when describing elevated praise that places its subject above the ordinary
The ceremony will exalt courage expressed through daily service.
Choose between these
6- playful
put on a pedestal
when excessive idealization should be acknowledged
not when The idiom is usually critical and warns against unbalanced praise.
- everyday
when any clear expression of approval is meant
not when Praise ranges from mild to strong and lacks exalt's upward elevation.
- warm
when respectful recognition is the central act
not when Honor can be measured and does not place the subject above others.
- professional
when status or perceived importance increases
not when Elevation can be administrative and need not involve praise.
- formal
when praise makes the subject appear magnificent
not when Glorify can hide faults and often carries religious overtones.
- literary
when enthusiastic formal praise is openly expressed
not when Extol concerns words of praise, while exalt can also raise rank.
Said against
4- abase
- debase
- denigrate
- humble
It naturally appears in
3- exalt a virtue
The speech exalted courage without pretending fear was absent.
- exalt above others
No tribute should exalt one contributor above others without evidence.
- seek to exalt
The poem seeks to exalt patient craft over sudden fame.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb, verb sense raising in rank, honor, power, or praise opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.