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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While the rest of the world romanticizes drifting in Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has had its fill of smoky skids.—
Caleb Jacobs,
The Drive,
4 Mar. 2026
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Holi has also been romanticized and popularized over the decades in Bollywood films.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then a Chicago Tribune reporter, Reynolds had idolized Jackson.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
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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
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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Impersonal Surroundings Hard floors, bare walls, and furnishings that do nothing to soften the space can create a home office that feels anything but welcoming.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Mar. 2026
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What could have been a biting portrait of the glorification of female beauty is softened by a simple happy ending—in a world where no ending can possibly be simple, whether happy or not.—
Sarah Chihaya,
New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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