as in to romanticize
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of idealize
Adolescence, as life phases go, is not especially easy to idealize.
—
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
By late month, career responsibilities intensify, requiring you to define a realistic path forward instead of idealizing outcomes.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Neptune can blur boundaries, so be mindful of overcommitting or idealizing people who have not shown consistency yet.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Teens are already blocked from repeatedly viewing videos that could send them down dangerous content rabbit holes, such as those idealizing certain body types.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
By late month, career responsibilities intensify, requiring you to define a realistic path forward instead of idealizing outcomes.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Neptune can blur boundaries, so be mindful of overcommitting or idealizing people who have not shown consistency yet.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Teens are already blocked from repeatedly viewing videos that could send them down dangerous content rabbit holes, such as those idealizing certain body types.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
Verb
-
Varas didn’t sound interested in romanticizing March.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
British live-fire cook Genevieve Taylor didn’t start out romanticizing cooking over an open flame, with visions of industry cred or Michelin stars dancing in her head.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The kid in question was Dustin Pedroia, who Murphy coached at Arizona State from 2002-04, and who Durbin idolized growing up.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Having access to the network of former UConn superstars is still surreal for Vukosa, who grew up idolizing Breanna Stewart and attends the same high school as Hall of Famer Sue Bird and WNBA MVP Tina Charles.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The notebook glamorizes love as possession.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Novels like Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch depict the surreal and alienating days of early parenthood with an eye to de-glamorizing the post-partum experience.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Your 7th House of Partnership softens as the Moon arrives, increasing the happiness in one-to-one bonds, platonic or not.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Cora offered confidence in his ace but didn’t soften the dire position in which the club finds itself.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
