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
These observations come the day after Meghan posted idealized, influencer-style images of her children celebrating Easter by running around their lush Montecito garden, hunting for Easter eggs.
—
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Practices often idealized for their organic nature can still have environmental impacts if they are not properly implemented.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
California Adventure, at its most idealized, stood for more than an assortment of film properties.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Many love songs idealize; here, John Prine and Iris DeMent sweetly rattle off a list of each other’s endearing imperfections.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Practices often idealized for their organic nature can still have environmental impacts if they are not properly implemented.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
California Adventure, at its most idealized, stood for more than an assortment of film properties.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Many love songs idealize; here, John Prine and Iris DeMent sweetly rattle off a list of each other’s endearing imperfections.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
Verb
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Today, one of Barry's favorite activities for romanticizing her outdoor space is playing darts with loved ones.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
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Chinamaxxing romanticizes things that feel structurally out of reach at home — compact, affordable-looking apartments; public transit that works; streets safe to walk at night; multigenerational households as an antidote to loneliness; communal meals as an antidote to atomization.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as a kid who grew up idolizing Michael Jordan in the ’90s, Graham still felt this moment meant something more — to himself, to his family and to basketball as a whole.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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The Liberty, who won the 2024 WNBA championship, are led by a trio of veteran superstars in two-time MVP Breanna Stewart, 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones and four-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu, players that most of Connecticut’s young talent grew up idolizing.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Even in the wake of the body positivity movement from the past few years, researchers are concerned about a cultural swing back to glamorizing thin-ness, pointing to the popularity – and possible misuse – of GLP-1s.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
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The visual culture produced by Anduril to glamorize its unmanned rockets, submarines, and accompanying control software leverages a lot of Aeropittura’s potential.—
Simon Denny,
Artforum,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The decision reflected a common pattern in China's technology sector, where startups establish offshore corporate structures to access global capital and reassure foreign investors, and sometimes soften regulatory scrutiny while maintaining engineering talent and intellectual ties to the mainland.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
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This cult Japanese skincare-meets-makeup hybrid is an ultra-fine powder to even out skin tone, soften the look of pores, and reduce shine, leaving a translucent finish with subtle coverage.—
Anita Bhagwandas,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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