idealized 1 of 2

adjective

as in romanticized

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idealized

2 of 2

verb

past tense of idealize
as in idolized
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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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 idealized
Adjective
In a world where women endure the impossible to bring new life into the world—holding agony and beauty all at once—shouldn’t women be celebrated for more than just their idealized form and youth? — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 Without it, the inventory is guesswork, the scoring is guesswork and the agents get deployed against an idealized version of the job. — Manish Garg, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The immigrant entrepreneurs often offered their families and young customers an idealized vision of American life. — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 Earth’s first Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, also drew criticism for being portrayed as an older, messier iteration of the most famous intergalactic peacekeeper rather than the more idealized version in his prime. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026 Within these spaces, designed to produce idealized performances of femininity, the unpredictable rhythms of postpartum life become a quiet act of disruption. — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026 Viewers, including any lawmakers who may have seen it, are invited into an idealized and privileged environment, where the complexity of the choice to die is aesthetically contained and emotionally distilled. — Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026 Nolan sets the tone by opening with a bard (Travis Scott) beginning to tell the tale of the fall of Troy—at least the idealized heroic version that the bard’s audiences are hungry to hear. — ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026 This is the beautiful, idealized land of Ithaca finally being consumed by the carnage from across the seas. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Verb
In these photographs, the maternal body enters spaces designed around seduction, aspiration, and idealized femininity without renouncing any of them. — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026 The report suggests that idealized portrayals of dating on social media may be affecting confidence and expectations, in some cases as much as or more than rejection itself. — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 20 July 2026 As these historical examples underscore, there is no idealized past to reclaim nor idealized future to arrive at through an inevitable march of progress. — Mark Brilliant, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 The Paris in his film feels stylized, idealized. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 The company said the approach is intended for real-world superconducting quantum processors rather than idealized laboratory systems, with an emphasis on manufacturability and scalability. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026 Waddingham was equally passionate about ensuring Debbie and Judith’s friendship felt authentic rather than idealized. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026 Her reflections don’t present motherhood as effortless or idealized. — Sugey Palomares, Parents, 1 June 2026 Unlike some of his artistic peers, who idealized studios and showcases in New York or Europe, Chambers never wanted to leave Altadena. — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealized
  1. romanticized
  2. idolized
  3. symbolic
  4. glamorized
  5. purple
  6. softened
Adjective
  • One is a romanticized version that says the sauce is named after the duke’s lover.
    — Lauren David, Travel + Leisure, 22 Aug. 2026
  • His conduit to doing so was Ebbets Field, perhaps the most beloved ballpark ever and the home to one of baseball’s most romanticized teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers.
    — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 30 July 2026
Definition of romanticized
Verb
  • Messi, who is idolized in Argentina, has never played professionally in his home country.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Even before her death, though, some people idolized her in a saint-like way.
    — Sarah Dees, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of idolized
Adjective
  • Grieving families were made visible, giving voice and shape to those who were lost, as people held symbolic burial rites or went on their own journeys to look for loved ones.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Mukunda Rijal said his cousins and their daughters had not been found, prompting the family to perform a symbolic funeral for them.
    — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of symbolic
Verb
  • Beyond post-pandemic freedom, the recent rave explosion can also be credited to BRAT, Charli XCX’s 2024 album that glamorized raving as an It Girl activity.
    — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026
  • The plot is high-class soap opera, offered at a time when most composers were avoiding any subject that glamorized the bourgeoisie.
    — Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Definition of glamorized
Adjective
  • Lavender Lavender is a popular garden perennial for its pleasantly calming fragrance and profuse purple blooms.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix have teams, but those states aren’t reliably red, more purple.
    — Patricia Babcock McGraw OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of purple
Verb
  • Bright notes of lemon, sweet orange, and bergamot are softened by lavender and verbena, giving the citrus opening a more rounded, aromatic quality.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The steak was crisp and deeply browned on the outside, with a tender, savory center underneath, and the blanket of brown gravy softened the crunchy crust and added a rich, salty flavor without overpowering the meat.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of softened

Browse Nearby Words

idealize
idealized
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Cite this Entry

“Idealized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealized. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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