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Definitions

glamorize

[glam-uh-rahyz] / ˈglæm əˌraɪz /
VERB
beautify
Synonyms
STRONGEST
adorn bedeck decorate
STRONG
array deck embellish enhance garnish gild grace improve ornament prettify trim
WEAK
dress up make up set off
Antonyms
STRONG
decrease harm hurt uglify worsen
WEAK
disfigure injure mar spoil
VERB
romanticize
Synonyms
STRONGEST
idealize sentimentalize
WEAK
think romantically
VERB
sentimentalize
Synonyms
STRONGEST
idealize romanticize
WEAK
think sentimentally

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for glamorize?
Glamorize most commonly means to make something appear to be glamorous when it’s really not, as in All these movies glamorize violence instead of showing its real consequences. Words that often mean the same thing are glorify and romanticize. The words idealize and sentimentalize can also be used in similar ways. Less commonly, glamorize is used in a more straightforward way meaning to make someone or something more beautiful, attractive, fancy, etc., as in Don’t worry—we will totally glamorize you for the cover shoot.
What's the difference between glamorize, glamour, and glamorous?
The noun glamour is usually spelled with a u but also sometimes spelled glamor. The verb glamorize and the adjective glamorous are sometimes spelled with -our-, but more often just -or-.
Is it glamorize or glamorise?
The usual spelling in American English is glamorize. In British English and other varieties, the spelling glamorise is used.
How do you use glamorize in a sentence?
Glamorize is usually used in the context of things that are believed to glorify or romanticize something considered negative. Here are some examples of glamorize in a sentence:
  • Some war films show the agony of war, while others glamorize it.
  • I try not to glamorize the past when I write historical fiction.
  • She accused the media of glamorizing the life of a pop star.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Michael Mann’s Ferrari may glamorize speed, but Mann isn’t shy about showing its consequences.

From Slate • Nov. 27, 2023

But unlike DIS — who do so without discernible politics and tend to glamorize a sense of existential resignation — Kline is stridently and sincerely polemical.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2023

Did I glamorize Los Angeles in a way that she would immediately find annoying?

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2023

In too many ways to chronicle, it turned out to be easier to glamorize the minimalist simplicity of a smartphone-free life in the abstract.

From Salon • Oct. 29, 2022

“I suppose I did glamorize it a bit,” he admitted.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs