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

Chinamaxxing romanticizes things that feel structurally out of reach at home — compact, affordable-looking apartments; public transit that works; streets safe to walk at night; multigenerational households as an antidote to loneliness; communal meals as an antidote to atomization. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026

Dominic Smith is just another reason to romanticize baseball. —Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026

In other words, don’t overly romanticize the post-World War II era. —Big Think, 14 Apr. 2026

Individuals with Neptune in Libra tend to romanticize love and beauty, often dreaming of soulful partnerships, harmony and aesthetically pleasing environments. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 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