idealization

UK: /aɪˌdɪəlaɪˈzeɪʃ^ən/

US: /aɪˌdiəlɪˈzeɪʃən/

US: (ī dē′ə lə zā′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

i•de•al•i•za•tion  (ī dē′ə lə zā′shən), n. 

1. Psychology the act or process of idealizing something.
2. Psychology, Psychiatry a mental mechanism, operating consciously or unconsciously, in which one person overestimates an admired attribute of another.

• idealize + -ation 1790–1800

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

idealization, idealisation / aɪˌdɪəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/ noun

1. the representation of something as ideal
2. a conception of something that dwells on its advantages and ignores its deficiencies
3. a general theoretical account of natural phenomena that ignores features that are difficult to accommodate within a theory

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

i•de•al•ize /aɪˈdiəˌlaɪz/   v., -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. to consider or represent (someone or something) as ideal: [~ + object]
   She idealized her successful mother.
   [no object]
   his tendency to idealize about retirement.

i•de•al•i•za•tion /aɪˌdiəlɪˈzeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

i•de•al•ize  (ī dē′ə līz′), v., -ized, -iz•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to make ideal;
   represent in an ideal form or character;
   exalt to an ideal perfection or excellence.

v.i. 

2. to represent something in an ideal form. Also,[esp. Brit.,] i•de′al•ise′. 

• ideal + -ize 1780–90

i•de′al•iz′er, n.