idealizeverb [ T ]
UK usually idealise uk/aɪˈdɪə.laɪz/us/aɪˈdiː.ə.laɪz/to think of or represent someone or something as better than that person or thing really is:
Why do people idealize their school days?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Praising insincerely or too eagerly
- arse-licker
- bow and scrape idiom
- brown-nose
- crawler
- creep
- fawn
- flatter
- flattery
- flattery will get you nowhere idiom
- glad-handing
- grovel
- ingratiate
- left-handed compliment
- massage sb's ego idiom
- obsequious
- play up to sb
- schmooze
- servile
- slobber
- unctuous
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idealized
adjective UK usually idealised uk/aɪˈdɪə.laɪzd/us/aɪˈdiː.ə.laɪzd/
The film presents a very idealized view of 19th-century Ireland (= making it seem more pleasant than it was).
idealization
noun [ U ] UK usually idealisation uk/aɪˌdɪə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/us/aɪˌdiː.ə.ləˈzeɪ.ʃən/