as in romanticized
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as in idolized
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 idealized
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
But for Mann, the new militarized zone could take away some of the thrill of hiking from Mexico to Canada and the idealized ruggedness of the experience.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
The idealized version of the outdoorsman from times past essentially excluded women and people of color from the vision of who belonged outside.
—Ryleigh Nucilli, Outside, 26 Feb. 2026
His precious moments are not memories of an idealized past, nor projections of a tantalizing dream, but interventions in our complex present that reveal beautiful and unsettling layers.
—Sharon Mizota, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Bomi, 23, who entered seeking his first boyfriend, found his idealized notions challenged.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
It is often simplified into rivalry or idealized closeness.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
American Express travel data show bookings to Japan among Gen Z and millennials have surged 1,300% since 2019, turning the country into an idealized escape where trains are on time, streets are spotless, and strangers are unfailingly polite.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
People tend to embrace the idealized versions of themselves, their homes, or their lives as the bounds of their potential, not as its median.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The characters are mostly idealized, the action is predictable, and its core conflicts derivative of those in the minds of most American teenagers in the middle of the 20th century.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 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
Post-Aristotle, infinity was always idealized, never realized — a philosophical construct at best.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
For most home cooks, a once-a-year turkey is a gastronomic absurdity, needlessly idealized, inevitably formidable to prepare.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Pop culture can even play a powerful role in shaping the nation’s perception of higher education–Hollywood still leaning heavily on images of pristine lawns, students in caps and gowns, and idealized lecture halls.
—Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
This clearly suggests that idealized online self-presentation can inflate social impressions but may create disappointment when offline reality does not match expectations.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 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
Adjective
This is most evident late in the picture, during an idealized recreation of the April 1969 Miami concert where Morrison was arrested for indecent exposure.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
But for Mann, the new militarized zone could take away some of the thrill of hiking from Mexico to Canada and the idealized ruggedness of the experience.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
The idealized version of the outdoorsman from times past essentially excluded women and people of color from the vision of who belonged outside.
—Ryleigh Nucilli, Outside, 26 Feb. 2026
His precious moments are not memories of an idealized past, nor projections of a tantalizing dream, but interventions in our complex present that reveal beautiful and unsettling layers.
—Sharon Mizota, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Bomi, 23, who entered seeking his first boyfriend, found his idealized notions challenged.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
It is often simplified into rivalry or idealized closeness.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
American Express travel data show bookings to Japan among Gen Z and millennials have surged 1,300% since 2019, turning the country into an idealized escape where trains are on time, streets are spotless, and strangers are unfailingly polite.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
People tend to embrace the idealized versions of themselves, their homes, or their lives as the bounds of their potential, not as its median.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
California Adventure, at its most idealized, stood for more than an assortment of film properties.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The characters are mostly idealized, the action is predictable, and its core conflicts derivative of those in the minds of most American teenagers in the middle of the 20th century.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 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
Post-Aristotle, infinity was always idealized, never realized — a philosophical construct at best.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
For most home cooks, a once-a-year turkey is a gastronomic absurdity, needlessly idealized, inevitably formidable to prepare.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Pop culture can even play a powerful role in shaping the nation’s perception of higher education–Hollywood still leaning heavily on images of pristine lawns, students in caps and gowns, and idealized lecture halls.
—Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
This clearly suggests that idealized online self-presentation can inflate social impressions but may create disappointment when offline reality does not match expectations.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealized
Adjective
-
There’s often this romanticized view of earlier eras that ignores their darker sides.—
Ivy Pochoda,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
-
While its romanticized view of the past may not be for everyone, the series excels in demonstrating da Vinci's boundless creativity, channeled through Tom Riley's cheeky, charismatic performance that brings the artist into the 21st century.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At Junya Watanabe, models walked with a sense of performance rarely seen today except in old videos of couture shows from the 1990s, wearing gowns assembled of athletic equipment and tacky leopard and faux fur fabrics of the kind idolized by Limited Too shoppers.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
And typical of young Wild fans of the late 2000s, the 6-year old Brink idolized Marian Gaborik, scoring goals and winning games while wearing jersey number 10 in Minnesota.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The joint march across the Tower Bridge in front of the state Capitol marked a symbolic moment of a unified effort to urge education reform not just in the capital city, but throughout the state.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
At the center of VNCCII’s mythology is the Tuning Fork, a symbolic tool that represents alignment with Source.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
My journey will be publicized and glamorized, but my evolution process is sacred to me.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Throughout the room are Atom Power’s purple EV charging stands and large white breaker boxes ready for assembly.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
-
During the rainy winter and early spring months, otherworldly photos of the park make the rounds online, showing brilliant yellow, pink, and purple blooms carpeting an otherwise lunar landscape.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now the tides are shifting, and a post-pandemic frenzy for Wright designs has softened, experts say.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Mike Logan, whose womanizing ways softened over time, on Law & Order from 1990 to 1995.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealized. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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