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to aestheticize

to aestheticize

7.5
To make something look more beautiful or artistic
  • verb
  • /æˈsθɛtɪˌsaɪz/
translation icon : estetizar
  • There, the scene of the vast desert dominating the small silhouetted figure conforms to the almost trite, aestheticizing convention of humanity dwarfed by nature.

Examples

  • The ideology of multiculturalism tends to aestheticize the issue of difference, focusing on variations in costume or cuisine.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Are You My Mother? (2012) extends this intervention by aestheticizing depression and its complex relationship to chronicity and care.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Yeah, we had to aestheticize it to work with Spot's color scheme.

  • All right, now we're going to do one more bit of aestheticizing of this.

  • When Yeats aestheticizes the political, he makes it moving.

  • Then, such discourse aestheticizes it so that it is henceforth manipulable by criteria of quality.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Here we find De Witt aestheticizing the "appearance of things" through the construction of a "well-arranged" Cartesian landscape.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The designer aestheticizes the space by adding colorful art and plants.

  • She used light and color to aestheticize the garden, making it inviting.

  • The film aestheticizes everyday moments, showcasing their beauty and significance.

Synonyms

to enhance
vsto aestheticize
424 4.0

Make something better or more attractive

specifically targets visual artistic appearance rather than general improvement
to decorate
vsto aestheticize
226 1.9

To make something look nicer by adding paint, ornaments, or other items

focuses more on artistic visual styling than mere ornamentation
to glamorize
vsto aestheticize
  • US
12 5.8

To make someone or something look more attractive and exciting than they really are

aims for an artistic beautified look rather than exaggerated glamour
to embellish
vsto aestheticize
10 6.3

To make something more beautiful by adding decorative details

does this with a broader aim of artistic presentation
to beautify
vsto aestheticize
9 3.2

To make a place or person more attractive by adding decorations like paint

emphasizes creating an artistic or visually styled look instead
to stylize
vsto aestheticize
8 6.4

Make something look less natural by showing it in a simple, fixed way

focuses on overall artistic appearance rather than simple beautification
to freshen up
vsto aestheticize
  • Informal
4 3.0

Make a room look cleaner and nicer with small changes

seeks artistic presentation changes rather than simple cleaning or brightening
to ornament
vsto aestheticize
4 3.7

To add decorations to something to make it look nicer

is used for broader artistic shaping beyond simple decorations
to pretty
vsto aestheticize
  • Informal
1 5.7

Make something look nicer by adding decorations

targets a styled artistic visual improvement beyond minor decoration
to prettify
vsto aestheticize
1 5.0

Make something look more attractive, often only on the surface

aims for a deeper artistic presentation rather than a quick surface change
to glamourize
vsto aestheticize
  • UK
1 6.3

Make something seem more attractive than it really is

focuses on visual artistry rather than creating romanticized appeal
to fancify
vsto aestheticize
  • Informal
7.7

Make something look more attractive by adding decorations

prefers an artistic visual transformation rather than just showy additions

Antonyms

8.5

Make something look bad and spoil its appearance

To make something seem less attractive or exciting

How Aesthetic

to aestheticize
7.5
to beautify
9 3.2
to embellish
10 6.3
to decorate
226 1.9

Surface Forms

aestheticize infinitive
aestheticized past participle
aestheticizing present participle
aestheticizes third person singular

Morphology

aestheticize = aesthetic (transparent) = aesthetic + ize

The verb is a straightforward, productive verb formation from the adjective 'aesthetic' with the suffix '-ize' meaning 'to make X'.

Etymology

The word aestheticize comes from aesthetic, which means 'related to beauty or the sense of beauty', and the ending -ize, which means 'to make', as in modernize. So to aestheticize something is to 'make it look more beautiful or artistic'.