romantiser

Romantiser is a verb meaning to present or regard something in a romanticized or idealized way. It involves emphasizing beauty, charm, heroism, or emotional appeal while downplaying ordinary, negative, or prosaic aspects. The term can apply to people, places, events, or cultural works, and it is commonly used in discussions of history, media, literature, and everyday speech.

The word derives from the concept of romance and the process of turning something into a romantic image. In English, the common form is romanticize (American) or romanticise (British). In Danish and Norwegian and other Scandinavian languages, cognate forms such as romantisere exist for the infinitive, with corresponding conjugations for tense.

Romantising can be intentional, as when a film director or writer chooses to accentuate idealized aspects to create mood. It can also occur inadvertently when media, tourism, or collective memory shapes narratives to seem more dramatic or idyllic than reality. Critics warn that excessive romanticization can distort history, misrepresent harm, or obscure important complexities. Examples include romanticizing colonial exploration, urban life, or poverty as picturesque.

Related terms include idealize, glamorize, sentimentalize, and mythologize. The noun form is romanticization or romanticisation, referring to the process or result of such portrayal. See also entries on romance, idealization, and mythmaking.