enshrine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to enclose in or as in a shrine.
His love for her is enshrined forever in his poetry.
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to cherish as sacred.
The memory of our friendship will be enshrined in my heart.
verb
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to place or enclose in or as if in a shrine
-
to hold as sacred; cherish; treasure
Other Word Forms
- enshrinement noun
- unenshrined adjective
Etymology
Origin of enshrine
Explanation
If your mother enshrines your first drawing, she might frame it and hang it in a special place, as if it were a holy relic. To enshrine is to put something special, often religious, into a protective place. A shrine is a place considered holy because something special happened there or a case that holds sacred items. Places where people have claimed to see Jesus sometimes become shrines. When you enshrine something, it means you are creating a shrine around it, or you are giving it its own protected, revered space. This can be literal or figurative. At a funeral, the minister might say that the deceased will forever be enshrined in the memories of those who loved him or her.
Vocabulary lists containing enshrine
The Crossover
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Vocabulary from Hillary Clinton's Concession Speech, November 9, 2016
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Martin Scorsese on Cinema
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Investigative grand juries cannot return indictments against defendants, but they are often used to enshrine evidence and subpoena witnesses for a future criminal proceeding.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026
Washington should pressure Mr. al-Sharaa not only to enshrine equal rights for all communities in the constitution, but to guarantee meaningful representation in parliament, the cabinet and senior state institutions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
Luxon pointed to a free trade agreement struck with India, saying legislation to enshrine it was expected to pass this year.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
But under President Sandu, the country has launched talks to join the EU and last year held a referendum in which voters chose to enshrine the goal of accession to the bloc in their constitution.
From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025
Working as a lawyer in South Africa meant operating under a debased system of justice, a code of law that did not enshrine equality but its opposite.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
