1. past tense of canonise; officially declared a saint by the Catholic Church
Usage: British spelling
2. past tense of canonise; treated as sacred or beyond criticism
Usage: figurative use

Examples

• Mother Teresa was canonised by Pope Francis in 2016.
• The church canonised him fifty years after his death.
• Shakespeare has been canonised as the greatest English playwright.
• The founding fathers were canonised in American political culture.
• She was canonised for her charitable work among the poor.
• The author’s early works have been canonised by literary critics.