idolize
EYE-duh-lyze
/ˈaɪdəlaɪz/
To admire, revere, or love greatly, often excessively or uncritically.
Idolize implies putting someone on a pedestal and ignoring their flaws. It is a form of devotion that borders on worship.
The story behind the word. The word traces back to the Greek 'eidolon', which meant a phantom, mental image, or material statue of a god. In religious contexts, an idol was a physical statue worshipped instead of the true divine. Over time, the verb 'idolize' was secularized to describe worshipping human beings—like rock stars or athletes—as if they were physical gods.
Word relationships
- revere: Revere implies deep, respectful admiration based on wisdom or holiness, whereas idolize can be shallow, obsessive, and uncritical.
- deify: Deify literally means to make someone a god, which is even more extreme and literal than idolize.
- despise: Despise means to look down on with contempt or disgust.
- vilify: Vilify means to speak or write about someone in an abusively disparaging manner.
Commonly confused with
- idealize: To idealize is to represent something as perfect in your mind; to idolize is to worship or admire a specific person excessively.
Word family
- idol (noun): An image or person worshipped as a god or highly admired.
- idolization (noun): The action of idolizing or worshipping someone.
Collocations
- idolize a celebrity
- blindly idolize
- idolize as a hero
- tendency to idolize
Example sentences
- "As a young boy, he would idolize his older brother, copying everything from his haircut to his walk." Childhood admiration
- "We must not idolize historical figures to the point where we ignore their deep moral failures." Warning against blind worship
Memory hook
Think of the TV show 'American Idol'—the contestants are put on a stage for millions of fans to 'idol-ize' them. Treating an idol like a god.
When not to use
Do not use idolize for simple respect or liking; it must involve a deep, uncritical, and often obsessive admiration.
Fun facts
- The word 'doll' is actually a shortened, affectionate form of the name Dorothy, but its linguistic resemblance to 'idol' has led many cultures to use dolls in spiritual rituals.
Related words
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