What does idealize mean?
Idealize is a verb meaning to treat something as perfect, especially in one’s imagination or in a description. People idealize people, places, historical periods, or systems, often focusing on their best qualities and overlooking their complications or faults. The word can imply that the portrayal is unrealistic or overly sentimental, as in “The novel idealizes provincial life.” In technical or design contexts, however, idealization can be neutral or even useful: to idealize a process is to describe it in its most efficient or perfected form. The related noun is idealization, which names the practice or result of viewing something in this idealized way. Idealize is especially common in discussions of art, literature, history, nostalgia, criticism, and the design of models or systems.
verbTo regard or represent something as perfect or ideal, often making it seem better than it really is. It can also mean to imagine something in its ideal form or to develop an idealized model of it.
- To regard or represent something as perfect or better than it actually is.
- To imagine or portray something in its ideal or perfected form.
"The documentary idealizes the simplicity of life in the village without fully acknowledging its economic hardships."
"Many biographies idealize their subjects, presenting their flaws as virtues rather than confronting them directly."
"The architects idealized the concept before deciding how the practical building should be constructed."
To idealize something is to polish away its rough edges—and sometimes its reality along with them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of idealize
The verb was formed in English from the adjective or noun ideal and the suffix -ize, meaning “to make” or “to cause to become.” The word ideal itself comes through Latin from Greek eidos, meaning “form” or “appearance.” The related noun idealization developed from the same vocabulary and refers to the act or result of treating something as ideal.
Related word forms
How idealize is actually used
The word often carries a critical connotation: idealizing a person, place, or period may suggest an unrealistic or overly nostalgic account. It is also used in more neutral technical contexts when describing an idealized model or design.
Easily confused with idealize
“Idealize” is the usual spelling in American English, while “idealise” is the standard British spelling.