Standard Lemma guide

exalt

verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ɪɡˈzɒlt/
  • UK: /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ɪɡˈzɔlt/
  • cot-caught-merger: /ɪɡˈzɑlt/
  • rhymes with -ɒlt
  • rhymes with -ɔːlt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 G Z AO1 L T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To honor; to hold in high esteem; to praise or worship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high.
  • They exalted their queen.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: extol, laud, worthy, aggrandize, applaud, enthrone, appraise, belaud, bepraise, commend, cry up, eulogize, exalt, glorify, honor, idolize, lionize, magnify, panegyrize, praise, puff, revere, speak well of, transfigure, venerate, adore, worship

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To raise in rank, status etc., to elevate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The man was exalted from a humble carpenter to a minister.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aggrandize, dignify, ennoble, nobilitate, upgrade, advance, elevate, exalt, honor, prefer, promote, raise, uplift

Antonyms: abase, debase, degrade, demean, lower, bring down to size, cut down to size, defame, demote, depress, discredit, disgrace, dishonour, disparage, downgrade, embase, give a bad name, humble, humiliate, knock down to size, put someone in their place, reduce, relegate, sink, slur, trim down to size, whittle down to size

3

verb

Meaning 3

To elate, or fill with the joy of success.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To refine or subtilize.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

raise in rank, character, or status

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • exalted the humble shoemaker to the rank of King's adviser

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lift, raise, elevate

Narrower terms: deify

6

verb

Meaning 6

praise, glorify, or honor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • extol the virtues of one's children
  • glorify one's spouse's cooking

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: laud, extol, glorify, proclaim

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: praise

Narrower terms: canonize, canonise, ensky, crack up, hymn

7

verb

Meaning 7

fill with sublime emotion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The children were thrilled at the prospect of going to the movies
  • He was inebriated by his phenomenal success

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: exhilarate, tickle pink, inebriate, thrill, beatify

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: elate, lift up, uplift, pick up, intoxicate

8

verb

Meaning 8

heighten or intensify

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • These paintings exalt the imagination

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inspire, animate, invigorate, enliven

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stimulate, shake, shake up, excite, stir

Narrower terms: encourage

History

Etymology

From Middle English exalten, from Old French exalter, from Latin exaltō.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: величая (veličaja) — to honor
  • Bulgarian: възхвалявам (vǎzhvaljavam) — to honor
  • Catalan: exaltar — to honor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 褒揚 /褒扬 (bāoyáng) — to honor
  • Finnish: ylistää — to honor
  • Galician: exaltar — to honor
  • German: ehren — to honor
  • Gothic: 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hauhjan) — to honor
  • Greek: εκθειάζω (ektheiázo) — to honor
  • Ancient Greek: ὑψόω (hupsóō) — to honor
  • Mbya Guarani: mboyvate — to honor
  • Japanese: 崇める (agameru) — to honor
  • Japanese: 褒める (homeru) — to honor
  • Japanese: 持ち上げる (mochiageru) — to honor
  • Latin: extollō — to honor
  • Persian: تجلیل کردن (tajlil kardan) — to honor
  • Polish: chwalić — to honor
  • Polish: pochwalić — to honor
  • Polish: wychwalać — to honor
  • Polish: wychwalić — to honor
  • Polish: sławić — to honor
  • Polish: wysławiać — to honor
  • Polish: wysławić — to honor
  • Romanian: cinsti — to honor
  • Romanian: exalta — to honor
  • Russian: прославлять (proslavljatʹ) — to honor
  • Serbo-Croatian: veličati — to honor
  • Spanish: exaltar — to honor
  • Bulgarian: издигам (izdigam) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Catalan: exaltar — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Chinese Mandarin: 抬高 (táigāo) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Chinese Mandarin: 提昇 /提升 (tíshēng) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Finnish: ylentää — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • German: erhöhen — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Gothic: 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hauhjan) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Greek: εξυψώνω (exypsóno) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Ancient Greek: ὑψόω (hupsóō) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Mbya Guarani: mboyvate — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Irish: ardaigh — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Japanese: 崇める (agameru) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Japanese: 持ち上げる (mochiageru) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Japanese: 格上げする (kakuage suru) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Japanese: 賞揚する (shōyō suru) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Kazakh: көтеру (köteru) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Kazakh: асқақтату (asqaqtatu) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Kazakh: дәрежесін өсіру (därejesın ösıru) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Latin: extollō — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Old English: āhebban — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Persian: تعالی بخشیدن (ta'âli baxšidan) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Polish: wynosić — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Polish: wynieść — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Portuguese: elevar — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Portuguese: exaltar — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Russian: повыша́ть (povyšátʹ) — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Serbo-Croatian: unaprijediti — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Serbo-Croatian: unaprediti — to elevate in rank, status etc.
  • Spanish: exaltar — to elevate in rank, status etc.