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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idealize
While some look at this movement as idealizing a time when women had fewer rights and independence, many trad wives do not think their roles are demeaning.
—
Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 13 Nov. 2024
Essay The Lost Ones: The Real Boys of Neverland
Michelle Dean
Few works of literature have idealized childhood so profoundly as Peter Pan.
—Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025
Also watch for patterns of poor boundaries—like someone idealizing you without really knowing you, or rushing to move things forward.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Leadership is often idealized as a force for good—driving positive change, inspiring teams and achieving ambitious goals.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for idealize 
Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 13 Nov. 2024
Essay The Lost Ones: The Real Boys of Neverland
Michelle Dean
Few works of literature have idealized childhood so profoundly as Peter Pan.
—Max Ufberg, hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025
Also watch for patterns of poor boundaries—like someone idealizing you without really knowing you, or rushing to move things forward.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Leadership is often idealized as a force for good—driving positive change, inspiring teams and achieving ambitious goals.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for idealize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealize
Verb
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Mobsters like Capone and Moran have been romanticized in popular culture, and the still-unsolved crime has invited amateur sleuths to study up.—
Sarah Holzmann,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
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And this film is about the 1950s, which is an era that the conservative agenda in this country especially really romanticizes.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Junior is the pride of Colombia’s Atlantic coast, and Rodriguez is Colombia’s star man, idolized and protected by the national team’s loyal supporters in Barranquilla.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
15 Jan. 2025
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By then, as a kid growing up in Le Mans, Rupert had come to idolize Batum.—
Jason Quick,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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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
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Media coverage often emphasizes their charm or intelligence, which can inadvertently glamorize their heinous acts.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The governor took pains to soften his liberal attack dog image, praising the president as a cooperative partner during crisis.—
Lia Russell,
Sacramento Bee,
8 Feb. 2025
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Add 2 tablespoons oil (3 tablespoons if not using pancetta), onion, and carrots to drippings in Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.—
Julia Levy,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near idealize
Cite this Entry
“Idealize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealize. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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