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

• glamorize
• glamourize
• glamour (up)
• glorify
• idealize

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

In fact, everything has always really romanticized it. —Sara Belcher, People.com, 9 May 2025

Forever doesn’t romanticize the teens’ initial attempts to consummate their relationship, and instead chooses to depict those early encounters in all their halting and awkward glory. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 8 May 2025

And they’ve been romanticized for nearly as long by foreign travelers who see an espresso bar and long counter full of hot foods, panini, and piles of prosciutto as a sign of culinary superiority. —Lindsey Tramuta, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 May 2025

While a scalloped edge will romanticize floral sheets even further, when paired with a deep navy hue and a more loopy motif your bedding set will skew coastal. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 Apr. 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