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.

When I interviewed him for the first time in 2005, he insisted that fearless owners were every bit as important in preserving democracy as the reporters he and Hoffman helped glamorize.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

It didn’t valorize or glamorize the economic downturn; it just portrayed it in the way that the people who lived there experienced it.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

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

From Slate • Nov. 27, 2023

“Fourth Avenue Shallower” adds $700 million to past estimates, not counting any lid, nor renovations to glamorize Union Station and South Jackson Street.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 20, 2023

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

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

glamorize

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

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