mythologize
mythologize — verb
- mythologizepresent simple I / you / we / they
- mythologizes3rd person singular
- mythologizing-ing form
- mythologizedpast simple
1. to make someone or something seem more important, special, or admirable than the
to make someone or something seem more important, special, or admirable than they really are, especially by telling stories that are not completely true — for example, mythologizing a politician's early life to make them look like a born leader, or mythologizing a past era as a perfect golden age
The film mythologizes the general's life, turning an ordinary soldier into an unbeatable hero.
transitive: mythologize + person's life + transformation pattern
Salma's grandfather was mythologized in a local paper as a man who could predict weather.
passive: be mythologized as + noun phrase
TV shows often mythologize police work, making it look more exciting than it really is.
Some people mythologize the 1980s as a golden age when life was simpler.
Nora felt that historians had mythologized her country's founding leader beyond all reason.
- glorify
focuses on praising and honouring, without necessarily implying falsehood
- romanticize
makes something seem more attractive or romantic than it really is
- idealize
portrays something as perfect, often ignoring its flaws
- exaggerate
makes something seem bigger or more important, but does not involve creating a full story or legend
文法句型
mythologize + noun phrase
be mythologized + as + noun phrase
mythologize + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used in passive constructions (e.g., 'is mythologized as'). Common in discussions of history, media, politics, and biography. The word carries a negative connotation — it suggests that the true picture has been distorted or exaggerated.