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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for idealize
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
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
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
Verb
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Herzog depicts the bushmen who aid Boyes as dignified, diligent and intelligent without romanticizing them while capturing the rugged beauty of the African landscape.—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
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But there is a difference between telling the full story and romanticizing those who would do Americans harm.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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McGonigle grew up idolizing Phillies legend Chase Utley, who is going into the club's Wall of Fame in August.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Bonzagni, who grew up a Rangers fan and idolized outfielders David Murphy, Craig Gentry and Josh Hamilton, didn’t make Carroll’s varsity team in any of his first three high school seasons.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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The song was seen as glamorizing Nazi ideology, antisemitism and Hitler.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Capricorn December 22 – January 19 Early tension softens with thoughtful pacing.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
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December 22 – January 19 Early tension softens with thoughtful pacing.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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