sanctify

verb

1 a small shrine was built to sanctify the site:

consecrate, make holy, make sacred, bless, hallow, set apart, dedicate to God, anoint, ordain, canonize, beatify.

2 they sanctified themselves:

purify, cleanse, free from sin, absolve, unburden, redeem, exculpate, wash someone's sins away;

rare lustrate.

3 we must not sanctify this outrageous state of affairs:

approve, sanction, give the stamp of approval to, underwrite, condone, justify, vindicate, endorse, support, back, ratify, confirm, warrant, permit, allow, accredit, authorize, legitimize, legitimatize.