lionized
definition
to give excessive public attention and acclaim to
example
After the film's release, the actor was lionized by the media for his outstanding performance.
synonyms
celebratedfêtedmarveled
word origin — The term 'lionize' derives from the practice of treating someone as a celebrity or in a way that is akin to how lions are revered in culture, originating in the early 19th century from the use of 'lion' in the sense of a person of great prominence.