idealised
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
Idealised and romanticised both describe presenting something as better than it really is, but romanticised adds a sense of dreamy, emotional beauty — a romanticised version of the Old West focuses on adventure and ignores hardship. Glorified emphasises making something seem more important or admirable than it deserves, often with deliberate exaggeration, as in a glorified office job that is really just data entry. Polished is milder and more neutral: a polished performance has had small flaws removed but is still recognisably real. For example, a company brochure might present an idealised picture of office life with everyone smiling, while critics might say the brochure glorifies a boring workplace.
Common collocations
Adverbs
- highly idealised
- rather idealised
- somewhat idealised
Etymology
Formed from the adjective 'ideal' (from Latin 'idealis', tracing back to Greek 'idea' meaning form or pattern) plus the suffix '-ise', which turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning 'to make or become'. The suffix '-ise' is the British spelling variant of the more common '-ize' (from Greek '-izein'). The word first appeared in English in the late 18th century.