romanticize

verb

ro·​man·​ti·​cize rō-ˈman-tə-ˌsīz How to pronounce romanticize (audio)
rə-
romanticized; romanticizing

transitive verb

: to make romantic : treat as idealized or heroic
romanticize the past

intransitive verb

1
: to hold romantic ideas
2
: to present details, incidents, or people in a romantic way
romanticization noun

Examples of romanticize in a Sentence

He has romanticized notions of army life. a romanticized view of politics We were romanticizing about the past.
Recent Examples on the Web Now the Pets seem to romanticize political violence. Armond White, National Review, 18 Sep. 2024 While many criticized the book for romanticizing domestic abuse, Baldoni says staying within Bloom’s perspective helps the audience to understand her choices and trauma. Michael Appler, Variety, 10 Aug. 2024 Those in and out of the Big Apple tend to romanticize New York. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2024 Centuries of romanticizing Highlander clanship and identity has likely influenced our contemporary understanding of the textile, Maxwell noted. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for romanticize 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'romanticize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of romanticize was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near romanticize

Cite this Entry

“Romanticize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romanticize. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

romanticize

verb
ro·​man·​ti·​cize rō-ˈmant-ə-ˌsīz How to pronounce romanticize (audio)
romanticized; romanticizing
1
: to make romantic : show in a romantic way
2
: to have romantic ideas
romanticization noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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