1. the act or process of regarding or representing something as perfect or ideal, often ignoring its faults or realistic aspects
Usage: British spelling; American English typically uses 'idealization'; often used in psychology, philosophy, and social contexts
2. in philosophy and mathematics, the process of forming an ideal or abstract concept from concrete examples
Usage: technical or academic usage

Examples

• The idealisation of romantic love in movies often leads to unrealistic expectations.
• Her idealisation of her childhood home made returning to it disappointing.
• The artist's work involved the idealisation of the human form.
• Philosophers debate the idealisation of concepts like justice and truth.
• His idealisation of his mentor prevented him from seeing her actual flaws.
• The idealisation of the past is a common theme in nostalgic literature.