romanticize
verb
ro·man·ti·cize
rō-ˈman-tə-ˌsīz 
rə-
romanticized; romanticizing
: to make romantic : treat as idealized or heroic
romanticize the past
1
: to hold romantic ideas
2
: to present details, incidents, or people in a romantic way
The book romanticized military life.
Synonyms of romanticize
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 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
Somewhere along the way, what was once romanticized in classics like The Notebook—effort, thoughtfulness, relentless pursuit—has been reframed as unattractive instead of brave.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026
Of course, the Weeknd has long romanticized his own self-destruction, but here, as the water fills his lungs, death finally loses its glamour—there’s nothing romantic about a man incapable of or unwilling to save himself from drowning.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
The complaint claims that ChatGPT romanticized death and reassured Gordon during moments of emotional distress.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for romanticize
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Angela Yang, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026
Somewhere along the way, what was once romanticized in classics like The Notebook—effort, thoughtfulness, relentless pursuit—has been reframed as unattractive instead of brave.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026
Of course, the Weeknd has long romanticized his own self-destruction, but here, as the water fills his lungs, death finally loses its glamour—there’s nothing romantic about a man incapable of or unwilling to save himself from drowning.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
The complaint claims that ChatGPT romanticized death and reassured Gordon during moments of emotional distress.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for romanticize
Cite this Entry
“Romanticize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romanticize. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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