romanticize

verb

ro·​man·​ti·​cize rō-ˈman-tə-ˌsīz 

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

The book romanticized military life.

romanticization

rō-ˌman-tə-sə-ˈzā-shən 

rə-

noun

Synonyms of romanticize

• idealize
• glamorize

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

The shadow is chasing dopamine instead of fulfillment or romanticizing something that does not have real substance. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026

While the general grifter is allowed to reinvent themselves, be openly ambitious, and romanticize their crimes, the female grifter—and especially the SGG—is met with significantly less permission and a higher demand for likability. —Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026

Burnout was romanticized, and ambition was wrapped in excess. —Dasha Shunina, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

The trend has become the latest example of people online romanticizing a different time as a form of escapism. —Angela Yang, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for romanticize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

romanticize

verb

ro·​man·​ti·​cize rō-ˈmant-ə-ˌsīz 

romanticized; romanticizing

1

: to make romantic : show in a romantic way

2

: to have romantic ideas

romanticization

-ˌmant-ə-sə-ˈzā-shən 

noun