as in romanticizing
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 idealizing
The new fad of tradwife influencers idealizing a time before women had the right to vote is evidence enough.
—
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Nothing wrong with idealizing and daydreaming, but to a certain extent.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Neptune can blur boundaries, so be mindful of overcommitting or idealizing people who have not shown consistency yet.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
25 Jan. 2026
Teens are already blocked from repeatedly viewing videos that could send them down dangerous content rabbit holes, such as those idealizing certain body types.
—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
14 Jan. 2026
There’s no wishful thinking that our society will stop idealizing appearance, but framing and intrinsic motivation matter.
—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
8 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Nothing wrong with idealizing and daydreaming, but to a certain extent.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Neptune can blur boundaries, so be mindful of overcommitting or idealizing people who have not shown consistency yet.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
25 Jan. 2026
Teens are already blocked from repeatedly viewing videos that could send them down dangerous content rabbit holes, such as those idealizing certain body types.
—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
14 Jan. 2026
There’s no wishful thinking that our society will stop idealizing appearance, but framing and intrinsic motivation matter.
—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealizing
Verb
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There are factors related to romanticizing past life, familiarity, and ways of life.
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Ethereal and naturally whimsical, this sandal is giving beach day, daydreams and romanticizing summer, which is very Pisces.
Verb
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McGonigle grew up in Aldan idolizing Phillies legend Chase Utley.
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Fans, who never had a chance to cheer Les Grenadiers on soccer’s biggest stage, have had to decide where their loyalties will lie while players who perhaps grew up idolizing the team must now convince themselves their idols can be beaten.
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.
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Novels like Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch depict the surreal and alienating days of early parenthood with an eye to de-glamorizing the post-partum experience.
Verb
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And that's especially critical this July with inflation surging again, wages softening and higher borrowing costs expected to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
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Most at-home versions last around one to four weeks, depending on hair type, product strength, and aftercare, with results gradually softening as the brow hairs return to their natural direction.
Cite this Entry
“Idealizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealizing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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