idealize

American  

[ahy-dee-uh-lahyz] / aɪˈdi əˌlaɪz /

especially British, idealise

verb (used with object)

idealized, idealizing

1. to make ideal; represent in an ideal form or character; exalt to an ideal perfection or excellence.

---

verb (used without object)

idealized, idealizing

1. to represent something in an ideal form.

idealize British  

/ aɪˈdɪəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to consider or represent (something) as ideal

2. (tr) to portray as ideal; glorify

3. (intr) to form an ideal or ideals

---

Other Word Forms

• idealizer noun
• overidealize verb
• unidealized adjective

Etymology

Origin of idealize

First recorded in 1780–90; ideal + -ize

Explanation

When you idealize something, you think of it as being much better than it really is. You might idealize your beach vacation, completely forgetting that it rained almost every day. If you idealize your favorite teacher, you imagine that he's even more wonderful than he actually is. Many people tend to idealize marriage, believing that simply being married will make them and their partners blissfully happy all the time. To idealize is to take an ordinary, flawed thing, and turn it into something ideal. In fact, ideal, or "perfect," is at the heart of idealize, with its root of the Latin idealis, or "existing in idea."

Example Sentences

Historian Quinn Slobodian joins Felix Salmon to discuss the tech billionaires who idealize a world without democracy.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2025

With a book by Jessie Nelson adapted from Adrienne Shelly‘s film script, “Waitress” has a humanizing matter-of-factness about tropes that other theatrical stories about women often idealize.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2023

“I am going to speak out against those who praise fascist murderers and idealize extremists. I am going to speak out against Holocaust deniers. I’m going to call those out who won’t do it.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2023

The San Antonio artist doesn’t idealize her family background, however.

From Washington Post • Dec. 15, 2022

Only I can’t seem to keep that up for too long before my natural urge to idealize goes into effect.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

Related Words

• glorify