SPIRITUALIZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spiritualize mean? 

• SPIRITUALIZE (verb)
  The verb SPIRITUALIZE has 3 senses:

1. give a spiritual meaning to; read in a spiritual sense

2. elevate or idealize, in allusion to Christ's transfiguration

3. purify from the corrupting influences of the world

  Familiarity information: SPIRITUALIZE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPIRITUALIZE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they spiritualize    ... he / she / it spiritualizes   
Past simple: spiritualized   
Past participle: spiritualized   
-ing form: spiritualizing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give a spiritual meaning to; read in a spiritual sense

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

spiritualise; spiritualize

Hypernyms (to "spiritualize" is one way to...):

construe; interpret; see (make sense of; assign a meaning to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

literalize (make literal)

Derivation:

spiritualization (the act of making something spiritual; infusing it with spiritual content)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Elevate or idealize, in allusion to Christ's transfiguration

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

glorify; spiritualize; transfigure

Hypernyms (to "spiritualize" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Purify from the corrupting influences of the world

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

spiritualise; spiritualize

Context example:

During his stay at the ashram he was spiritualized

Hypernyms (to "spiritualize" is one way to...):

purge; purify; sanctify (make pure or free from sin or guilt)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

spiritualization (the act of making something spiritual; infusing it with spiritual content)

 Context examples 

His lover's imagination had made her holy, too holy, too spiritualized, to have any kinship with him in the flesh.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Sensation usurped reason, and he was quivering and palpitant with emotions he had never known, drifting deliciously on a sea of sensibility where feeling itself was exalted and spiritualized and carried beyond the summits of life.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)