idealization

noun

Definition of idealizationnext
as in romanticization

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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 idealization How to critique technological solutionism without embracing rural idealization and nostalgia of the kind entangled with nationalism and völkisch thought? — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 Neptune, on the other hand, is the planet of dreams, illusions, spirituality, idealization, confusion and surrender. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 Whether that’s true or just an idealization is beside the point; such stories serve as an enormous source of pride and identity. — IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026 The student had an extensive social media presence that showed an idealization of other school shooters and an affinity for antisemitic and Nazi ideologies. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026 Officials censored, revised, and rewrote theater repertoire to remove any idealization of the pre-revolutionary past and add content that glorified Soviet rule. — Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealization
  1. romanticization
  2. reverence
  3. adoration
  4. glorification
  5. veneration
  6. deference
  7. liking
Noun
  • His signature fusion of gore and glamor has caught him some flak over the years, most prominently around the romanticization of harrowing true crime events.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
  • It is characterized by a romanticization of traditional elite academia, references to classic literature, and a mysterious atmosphere.
    — Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Definition of romanticization
Noun
  • The importance of his work, the difficulty of it—the Hollywood reverence almost distorts it.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Each critic portrayed the historical monument as an object of reverence owing to age, with specific reference to the psycho-historical implications of restoration or, conversely, of neglect.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of reverence
Noun
  • And yet, when Szumowska and Englert portray Fyodor’s reaction to the couple’s pregnancy, the birth of their child, and a subsequent tragedy, Anna’s adoration for this utterly flawed man almost feels justified.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So, too, do the antics of his estate manager (a buoyant Sam Adegoke), always concocting money-making schemes, and the wide-eyed adoration of the girl next door (Amelia Mason, deftly balancing naïveté with seductiveness), who wants to save him.
    — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of adoration
Noun
  • Grande became the face of an ongoing conversation around health, and the cultural pendulum swing away from body positivity to the glorification of thinness, ignited by the proliferation of weight-loss drugs.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Declinism, on the other hand, is an unrealistic glorification of the past coupled with the belief that things are steadily going downhill.
    — Markham Heid, Time, 8 July 2026
Definition of glorification
Noun
  • Self, who was born in Harlem in 1990 and lives and works in New York, described her as being representative of the city’s spirit, rather than as a specific figure of veneration.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 10 Sep. 2026
  • This, to him, seemed an image of Our Lady and her veneration.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of veneration
Noun
  • Jeff Bezos is one of the richest men in the world, so he’s used to being treated with certain deference and most doors being open to him.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And the most important one in this context is Chevron deference.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of deference
Noun
  • The 37-year-old, clad in a white tank top, loose gray sweatpants and white gym socks, looks back on the years that went into building the home to her liking.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Content creator Josh Lora, also known as @tellthebees, posted on TikTok that people are trying to rewrite the reality of professionalism to their liking—and that those who bring coffee into an interview won’t get the job.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of liking

Browse Nearby Words

idealists
idealization
idealizations
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Cite this Entry

“Idealization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealization. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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