as in to glamourize
to represent or think of as better than reality would warrant
he had a tendency to idealize his heroes and believe they could do no wrong
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Recent Examples of idealize
Despite millennials’ push for greater diversity on the runway and more inclusive sizing in denim collections, there’s a growing shift back toward campaigns that idealize ultra-thin bodies and pale skin.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 8 Sep. 2025
Beginning around the mid-19th century, middle-class Americans began to idealize the velvety green grass of European manor houses, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The film doesn’t idealize the president as a man of unhesitating certainties.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
These values were generally shared by his employers at Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, organisations idealized as the polar opposite of Emperor Palpatine's authoritarian dictatorship from a galaxy far, far away.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 8 Sep. 2025
Beginning around the mid-19th century, middle-class Americans began to idealize the velvety green grass of European manor houses, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The film doesn’t idealize the president as a man of unhesitating certainties.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
These values were generally shared by his employers at Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, organisations idealized as the polar opposite of Emperor Palpatine's authoritarian dictatorship from a galaxy far, far away.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
Verb
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As Bella and Edward become closer, our young heroine not only romanticizes the vampire's ethereal good looks, but also the dominance and constant surveillance of his courtship.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
10 Oct. 2025
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Elk hunting has always been romanticized for us Easterners.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But in tech, where founders are idolized yet structurally undercapitalized as individuals, the idea is both obvious and overdue.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
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But Hunter, who grew up idolizing Travis Konecny, Lawson Crouse and Bo Horvat, had other plans.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Creative activations, particularly ones that shock or disquiet, can make the problem of textile waste visible in a city where overconsumption is often glamorized.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Oct. 2025
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Safdie makes no effort to glamorize the Kerr’s work, or to insist that there is actually an elegance to what MMA fighters do.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some even licked the candy to soften it -- a trick used by contestants in the show.—
Hakyung Kate Lee,
ABC News,
17 Oct. 2025
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An emphatic 8-4 win has softened the blow a bit — especially with Zach Benson and his four assists back in the lineup — and the Sabres are missing key pieces on defense.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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