as in idealizing
to represent or think of as better than reality would warrant
he romanticized what life in a small town would be like, only to be later disappointed when reality intruded
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Recent Examples of romanticizing
Even the preceding work of distinguished white male photographers like William Henry Jackson and Lee Moorhouse participated in this romanticizing project.
—
Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
So The Paper treats journalism as aspirational — Ned describes over-romanticizing as one of his main faults.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
More than 260 viewers have taken to the comments section to share their delight at the unexpected feature likely from the 2000s, at a time when Gen Zers are romanticizing the tech and lifestyles of the era online.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Black townspeople and visitors to Natchez cast a warier eye on the spectacle of romanticizing this time in American history.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
This transit is about romanticizing your wellness rituals, not militarizing them.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
Gen Zers, who once mocked millennial culture, are now romanticizing it.
—Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
So The Paper treats journalism as aspirational — Ned describes over-romanticizing as one of his main faults.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
More than 260 viewers have taken to the comments section to share their delight at the unexpected feature likely from the 2000s, at a time when Gen Zers are romanticizing the tech and lifestyles of the era online.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Black townspeople and visitors to Natchez cast a warier eye on the spectacle of romanticizing this time in American history.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
This transit is about romanticizing your wellness rituals, not militarizing them.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
Gen Zers, who once mocked millennial culture, are now romanticizing it.
—Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Romanticizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/romanticizing. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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