macarize means to congratulate or laud; to pronounce blessed or happy.
Why “macarize” is a great word
To declare or pronounce someone blessed or happy. From the Greek μακαρίζειν (makarizein, 'to deem happy or blessed'), from μάκαρ (makar, 'happy, blessed'); first attested in English in the early 19th century (a1818). Unlike 'commend,' which praises a particular action, or 'felicitate,' which offers commonplace congratulation, to macarize is to confer a halo of beatitude—the arch of a priest's hand in benediction, the weight of an heirloom blessing spoken over a child, the public coronation of a private joy. It is the word that acknowledges how fragile felicity is, and how necessary its proclamation.
verb
- To congratulate or laud; to pronounce blessed or happy.e.g.“Couldn't I now say that “happy” is not used to describe things, but when I call someone happy I'm really doing this other thing, pragmatically I'm macarizing him?”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.