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
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Recent Examples of idealize
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
Set in a perpetually sunny, idealized England vaguely between the wars, The Code of the Woosters concerns the misadventures of man-about-town Bertie Wooster (stupid, amiable, rich) and his impeccably helpful valet Jeeves.
—Literary Hub, 14 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
Post-Aristotle, infinity was always idealized, never realized — a philosophical construct at best.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Set in a perpetually sunny, idealized England vaguely between the wars, The Code of the Woosters concerns the misadventures of man-about-town Bertie Wooster (stupid, amiable, rich) and his impeccably helpful valet Jeeves.
—Literary Hub, 14 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
Post-Aristotle, infinity was always idealized, never realized — a philosophical construct at best.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
Verb
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The convivial atmosphere of the coffee shop can be attributed to Le, who romanticizes his time as a barista.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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After the cowboys’ home had yellowed to memory, illustrators such as Frederic Remington set about romanticizing the Westerner, a process vigorously seized upon by the chieftains of Hollywood.—
Miles Beller,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rafaela, who began his professional career as a middle infielder in the Red Sox minor leagues, idolized him.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
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For those of us who grew up idolizing the 38-year singer and actor, that candor is classic Hilary.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The song was seen as glamorizing Nazi ideology, antisemitism and Hitler.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
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Often, fires are depicted in an overly dramatic or glamorized way, but each home represents a person’s life.—
TIME Photo Department,
Time,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Indoor plants soften hard edges, brighten dim corners, and bring a bit of the outdoors inside.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
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And, companies with higher all-in sustaining costs are far more vulnerable if silver prices soften again.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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