idolize
gb/ˈaɪdəlˌaɪz/ us/ˈaɪdəlˌaɪz/
B2
English
bálványoz
VERB
B2
1
bálványoz
B2
Usage pattern:
idolize [someone/something]
When she was a kid, she idolized her older sister and copied everything she did.
Gyerekkorában bálványozta a nővérét, és mindent utánozott, amit csinált.
He idolized the singer for years, even after the scandals.
Évekig bálványozta az énekest, még a botrányok után is.
Some fans idolize athletes and ignore their flaws.
Learner examples
I idolize my dad.
Bálványozom az apukámat.
Many people idolize famous actors.
Sokan bálványozzák a híres színészeket.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse idolize with idealize: you can idolize a person, but you idealize a situation or image by imagining it is better than it really is.
Meaning
admire someone extremely
Collocations
idolize a celebrity
|idolize your father
|idolize your mother
|idolize your older brother
|idolize a teacher
|idolize a coach
|idolize a pop star
|idolize a sports hero
|idolize someone unconditionally
|idolize someone from afar
Synonyms
adore (Stronger emotional love; not always uncritical.)
|
revere (More respectful and serious; often about achievements or status.)
|
worship (Often figurative; can sound more dramatic than idolize.)
|
lionize (Publicly treat someone as a hero; more about praise in society.)
Antonyms
despise (To feel strong dislike or contempt instead of admiration.)
|
disdain (To look down on someone rather than look up to them.)
|
dismiss (To treat someone as not important or worth attention.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|culture
Definition
to love and admire someone a lot, sometimes too much
To admire or love someone very much, often in an uncritical way and treating them as perfect.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
2
bálványoz
C1
Usage pattern:
idolize [a god/image/object]
The prophet warned the people not to idolize images made of gold.
A próféta figyelmeztette a népet, hogy ne bálványozzák az aranyból készült képmásokat.
The text criticizes those who idolize wealth as if it were a god.
A szöveg bírálja azokat, akik úgy bálványozzák a gazdagságot, mintha isten volna.
Learner examples
Some religions teach people not to idolize statues.
Egyes vallások azt tanítják az embereknek, hogy ne bálványozzanak szobrokat.
Common mistake:
This sense is less common in everyday speech; in general conversation, idolize usually means 'admire too much'.
Meaning
worship as a god
Collocations
idolize false gods
|idolize an image
|idolize idols
|idolize a deity
|idolize a statue
Synonyms
venerate (Shows deep respect; may be religious but not necessarily worship.)
|
worship (The standard word for religious devotion; broader than idolize.)
Antonyms
reject (To refuse to accept something as sacred or worthy of worship.)
|
renounce (To formally give up a belief or practice of worship.)
Themes
religion
|culture
Definition
to worship something like a god
To worship someone or something as a god, or to treat an image or object as sacred in a way associated with idolatry.
Grammar
Dictionary form
idolize
IPA
GB/ˈaɪdəlˌaɪz/
US/ˈaɪdəlˌaɪz/
Syllables & stress
id - ol - ize (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (id)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: idolize
- 3rd Person Singular: idolizes
- Present Participle: idolizing
- Past: idolized
Word family
Expressions
idolize the ground [someone] walks on
1/ˈaɪdəlˌaɪz ðə ɡɹˈaʊnd sˈʌmwˌʌn wˈɔks ˈɔn/
idiom
informal
admire someone extremely
to love and admire someone very much
Examples
- He idolizes the ground she walks on and never argues with her.
- They idolized the ground their coach walked on after the championship.