Standard Lemma guide

romanticize

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /rə(ʊ)ˈmantɪsaɪz/
  • General-American: /roʊˈmæntɪsaɪz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R OW0 M AE1 N T AH0 S AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To interpret, view, or portray something in a romantic (unrealistic, idealized) manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: glamorize

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To think or act in a romantic manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

act in a romantic way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: act, behave, do

4

verb

Meaning 4

make romantic in style

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The designer romanticized the little black dress

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: romanticise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

5

verb

Meaning 5

interpret romantically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Don't romanticize this uninteresting and hard work!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: romanticise, glamorize, glamourise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: idealize, idealise

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin Rōma Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Latin -nus Latin -ānus Latin Rōmānus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin rōmānicus Latin -ē Vulgar Latin rōmānicē Old French romanz Old French romauntder. English romant ▲ Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English romantic Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English romanticize From romantic + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: romantitzar — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Catalan: idealitzar — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Dutch: romantiseren — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Finnish: romantisoida — to view something in a romantic manner
  • French: romantiser — to view something in a romantic manner
  • German: romantisieren — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Italian: romanzare — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Korean: 미화(美化)하다 (mihwa-hada) — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Spanish: romantizar — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Swedish: romantisera — to view something in a romantic manner
  • Finnish: olla romanttinen — to think or act in a romantic manner