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.

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-.

The usual spelling in American English is glamorize. In British English and other varieties, the spelling glamorise is used.

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.