idealize

verb

ī-ˈdē-(ə-)ˌlīz How to pronounce idealize (audio)
Definition of idealizenext
as in to glamourize
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of idealize The best way to respond to love bombing Over time, love bombers shift from a position of idealizing their new partner and expressing their feelings in an over-the-top positive way to devaluating their partner in a critical and demeaning way. — Dr. Cortney Warren, Contributor, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025 The Ethereal Worlds of Maxfield Parrish, features 25 original works of art that blend idealized realism with lush landscapes and figures that evoke both a romantic and fantastical sense of beauty. — Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2025 The great irony is that by avoiding them altogether and idealizing relationships entirely free of friction, people may be denying themselves opportunities to grow and strengthen their connections. — Allie Volpe, Vox, 15 Jan. 2025 This has been my sort of dream role for Simmons going back to his later days in Philadelphia, idealizing the theory of becoming a modern Draymond Green-style forward. — Sam Vecenie, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
  1. romanticize
  2. idolize
  3. glamorize
  4. soften
Verb
  • In fact, he's had to hop on social media a few times in recent years to remind viewers that not romanticizing Joe is the whole point.
    — Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The hero of a bildungsroman often begins as an outcast of some kind, a condition that is romanticized even as it must be overcome.
    — Anahid Nersessian, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of romanticize
Verb
  • That marked the culmination of a lifetime dream, Kawamura said, having grown up idolizing the game’s biggest stars.
    — Hanako Montgomery, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
  • In particular, Spencer idolized Asian American figure skaters such as Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou, as well as Maxim Naumov, whose parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were coaches at the Skating Club of Boston and also died in the plane crash.
    — Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of idolize
Verb
  • Glamorous as the exiles are, Kentridge does not glamorize them.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Her pitch was simple: Homosexuality is a sin, and if homosexuals were given carte blanche to glamorize their ‘deviate lifestyle’ in Miami-area classrooms, the American family would be destroyed and the American way of life would disappear.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025
Definition of glamorize
Verb
  • Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, until vegetables soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The data, released by the Census Bureau, will offer a look at how Americans spent their money during a month in which consumer confidence was softening amid tariff uncertainty.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz,Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of soften

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“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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