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

romanticization

rō-ˌman-tə-sə-ˈzā-shən 

rə-

noun

Synonyms

• idealize
• glamourize
• 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

These beliefs can make women more likely to excuse or romanticize emotional immaturity in men in the personal and professional realms alike. —Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025

Put simply, the revisionist Western steers away from, or plays against, formula, refusing to romanticize the Old West or depict it as a place with clear good guys and bad guys. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025

This Venus return in Gemini urges us to romanticize the film's nostalgia and discuss it with friends. —Lisa Stardust, People.com, 2 July 2025

Some writers and economists say that romanticizing this one particular sector of the economy is more about nostalgia or political pandering than rational thinking about what will best serve workers and the economy. —Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 17 June 2025

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