as in to idealize
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 romanticize
Written by Fielding, Richard Naylor and Jon Brittain, the series followed the contemptuous life of the 18th-century highwayman, known in York, England, as a thief, poacher and killer but whose exploits have been widely romanticized in modern culture.
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Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
Elizabeth says fabulous lunches are an easy and affordable way to romanticize mundane activities in the new year.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2025
Militarism offers a solution: by romanticizing the nation’s soldiers and officers and promoting them as a model, populists seek to create a nation of soldier-like citizens—mobilized but unfailingly loyal.
—Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Viewing them through the proxy of Joe, McGahern refuses to romanticize these characters, who are often admirable but also, by turns, nosy, deceitful, aggressive, and ridiculous.
—Sam Sacks, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for romanticize 
Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
Elizabeth says fabulous lunches are an easy and affordable way to romanticize mundane activities in the new year.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2025
Militarism offers a solution: by romanticizing the nation’s soldiers and officers and promoting them as a model, populists seek to create a nation of soldier-like citizens—mobilized but unfailingly loyal.
—Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Viewing them through the proxy of Joe, McGahern refuses to romanticize these characters, who are often admirable but also, by turns, nosy, deceitful, aggressive, and ridiculous.
—Sam Sacks, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for romanticize
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“Romanticize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/romanticize. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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