idolize

/ˈaɪdəlaɪz/

//ˈaɪdəlaɪz// verb

"idolize" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“idolize” is uncommon English (frequency #54,245 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,245
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make an idol of, or to worship as an idol.

Corpus desk

Index EN-idolize · idolize · English

idolize · rank #54,245 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,245
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH idleness

Nearest frequency peer: idleness (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “idolize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “idolize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for idolize
PropertyValue
Headwordidolize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈaɪdəlaɪz/
Letters7
Frequency rank#54,245
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “idolize” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).idolizefalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “idleness” (#54,244), “IDP” (#54,246), “hypodermic” (#54,243). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “idolize” is #54,245. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

idolize is uncommon English at frequency #54,245 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

idolize doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From idol + -ize. The correct English form is idolize, spelled I-D-O-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make an idol of, or to worship as an idol.
  2. 2
    To adore excessively; to revere immoderately.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how idolize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. idolize a celebrity
  2. idolize someone blindly

Etymology

From idol + -ize.

This word in other languages

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 "idolize"?
"idolize" is spelled I-D-O-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/.
What does "idolize" mean?
As a verb, "idolize" means: To make an idol of, or to worship as an idol.
How do you pronounce "idolize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "idolize" is /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/. 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 "idolize"?
From idol + -ize. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "idolize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list