exalt

IPA/ɪɡˈzɔːlt/
KK[ɪɡzˈɔlt]IPA/ɪɡˈzɔːlt/

exalt — verb

  • exaltpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • exaltshe / she / it
  • exaltedpast simple
  • exalting-ing form

1. to give someone a more important position or role within an organization or soci

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to give someone a more important position or role within an organization or society, especially one that brings greater authority and status

例句

After twenty years at the company, Olivia was exalted to a seat on the board of directors.

passive: be exalted to + [high position]

The emperor exalted his most trusted general to the rank of supreme commander.

exalt + object + to + rank

同義詞
  • elevate

    similar meaning but less formal and more widely used, especially in modern contexts

  • promote

    the everyday word for giving someone a higher job rank; more common than exalt

  • raise

    more general and less ceremonial; can refer to any upward movement in status

反義詞
  • demote

    to lower someone in rank or position

  • degrade

    to reduce someone to a lower rank, often with a sense of humiliation

文法句型

exalt + object + to + rank/position

be exalted to [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive construction 'be exalted to [position]'. The active form is less common and often appears in historical or literary contexts describing monarchs or leaders.

常見錯誤

❌The manager exalted me to a new position.' (too informal/ordinary for this formal word)
✅After years of dedication, Lara was exalted to a senior management role.
💡'exalt' is very formal; in everyday work contexts, 'promote' or 'elevate' is more natural.
❌The company exalted the price of the product.' (wrong sense)
✅The company raised the price of the product.
💡'exalt' refers to rank, not physical raising of prices or objects.

2. to praise someone or something in a very strong and admiring way, often publicly

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to praise someone or something in a very strong and admiring way, often publicly or in formal speech or writing

例句

Critics exalted the young director's first film as a masterpiece of modern cinema.

exalt + object + as + [noun phrase]

The mayor exalted the bravery of the firefighters who rescued the family from the burning house.

同義詞
  • praise

    the everyday word; less intense and less formal than exalt

  • glorify

    similar intensity but often carries religious connotations

  • extol

    very close in meaning; to praise enthusiastically, often at length

  • laud

    formal synonym; to praise someone or something highly, usually in a public context

反義詞
  • condemn

    to express strong disapproval of someone or something

  • criticize

    to point out faults in someone or something

文法句型

exalt + object + as + noun phrase

exalt + object

用法筆記

Commonly followed by 'as' when specifying the nature of the praise ('exalted as a hero'). Unlike 'praise', 'exalt' is rarely used in everyday conversation — it belongs to formal speeches, literary criticism, and ceremonial language.

常見錯誤

❌I exalted my friend for helping me.' (too formal for everyday thanks)
✅I thanked my friend for helping me.
💡use 'thank' or 'praise' for ordinary situations; 'exalt' is reserved for very strong, formal admiration.

3. to make someone feel an intense and uplifting sense of happiness, wonder, or spi

3.動詞及物C2
釋義

to make someone feel an intense and uplifting sense of happiness, wonder, or spiritual joy that lifts their spirit

例句

The quiet beauty of the old stone church exalted Asher and brought tears to his eyes.

passive: be exalted by [beautiful stimulus]

Constanza felt exalted by the choir's voices rising through the concert hall.

同義詞
  • elate

    the closest synonym; to make someone feel extremely happy and proud

  • uplift

    to raise someone's spirits emotionally or spiritually

  • transport

    to carry someone away with strong emotion, often used of art or music

反義詞
  • depress

    to make someone feel sad and without hope

  • dampen

    to reduce the strength of a feeling or emotion

文法句型

be exalted by [stimulus]

exalt + object

用法筆記

Almost always describes a reaction to beauty, art, nature, or a deeply moving experience. The subject is typically a stimulus (a view, music, an event), and the verb is very often in the passive voice. Distinguish from sense 2 (PRAISE HIGHLY): here the emotion fills the person, rather than the person directing praise outward.

常見錯誤

❌The cake exalted me.' (too trivial for this meaning)
✅The beauty of the sunset exalted her.
💡this sense requires a profound or beautiful stimulus, not everyday pleasures.

4. to make a quality, flavour, feeling, or effect noticeably stronger, more active,

4.動詞及物C2
釋義

to make a quality, flavour, feeling, or effect noticeably stronger, more active, or more powerful

例句

A small amount of sea salt exalts the natural sweetness of the roasted vegetables.

exalt + flavour / taste / quality

The warm candlelight exalted the rich colours of the old painting on the wall.

同義詞
  • enhance

    the more common and less formal word; to improve or increase the quality of something

  • intensify

    to make something stronger or more extreme; more general than exalt

  • heighten

    to make a feeling or effect stronger and more noticeable

反義詞
  • diminish

    to make something less strong or less noticeable

  • reduce

    to make something smaller or weaker in degree

文法句型

exalt + object

用法筆記

This is the rarest sense of 'exalt' and is found mainly in formal or literary descriptions of sensory qualities (taste, colour, mood). In everyday cooking contexts, 'enhance' or 'bring out' is far more natural. The meaning overlaps with 'intensify' but implies that the effect is lifted to a higher level, not merely made stronger.

常見錯誤

❌The coffee exalted my energy.' (not idiomatic)
✅A pinch of cinnamon exalts the flavour of the apple pie.
💡this sense applies mainly to qualities such as taste, colour, or atmosphere, not to bodily states.