idealize

/aɪˈdɪəlaɪz/

//aɪˈdɪəlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"idealize" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“idealize” is uncommon English (frequency #85,360 among 17,902 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#85,360
frequency rank, English
17,902
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To regard something as ideal.

Key facts for idealize
PropertyValue
Headwordidealize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/aɪˈdɪəlaɪz/
Letters8
Frequency rank#85,360
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “idealize” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). idealize lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

idealize is uncommon English at frequency #85,360 among 17,902 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /aɪˈdɪəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for idealize, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From ideal + -ize. Compare French idéaliser. The correct English form is idealize, spelled I-D-E-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To regard something as ideal.
  2. 2
    To conceive or form an ideal.
  3. 3
    To portray using idealization.

Etymology

From ideal + -ize. Compare French idéaliser.

This word in other languages

idealizar(Español)idéaliser(Français)idealisieren(Deutsch)idealizar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "idealize"?
"idealize" is spelled I-D-E-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /aɪˈdɪəlaɪz/.
What does "idealize" mean?
As a verb, "idealize" means: To regard something as ideal.
How do you pronounce "idealize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "idealize" is /aɪˈdɪəlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "idealize"?
From ideal + -ize. Compare French idéaliser. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “idealize”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-D-E-A-L-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /aɪˈdɪəlaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list