heroizing
Elevating to greatness
Heroizing is treating someone as a hero—elevating them to admired or idealized status.
The term often carries a critical edge, suggesting the elevation may be unwarranted or excessive: We need to stop heroizing tech billionaires.
It can also describe artistic or narrative choices that cast subjects in an admirable light: The biopic was criticized for heroizing a controversial figure.
Unverified traditional tale
- epicImpressively grand in scope
- demigodPartly divine being
- pantheonAll gods of a religion
- mythosBody of foundational legends
lore · saga · folklore · odyssey · paragon · archetype · immortalize · apotheosis
Boldness before danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- gallantryCourage, especially in combat
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- daringAdventurous courage
chivalry · boldness · fearlessness · intrepidity · prowess · audacity · valiant · resolute
Praise with great intensity
- idolizeRevere to excess
- lionizeTreat as famous
- venerateHonor with deep respect
- revereDeeply respect and admire
admire · praise · laud · acclaim · celebrate · honor · applaud · eulogize
Trusted wisdom-giving advisor
- exemplarTypical perfect instance
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
icon · influence · empowerment · motivation · admiration · leadership · uplifting · aspiration
legend
Unverified traditional tale
mythos · lore · saga · folklore · odyssey · paragon · archetype · immortalize · apotheosis · canonize
bravery
Boldness before danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- gallantryCourage, especially in combat
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
daring · chivalry · boldness · fearlessness · intrepidity · prowess · audacity · valiant · resolute · dauntless
exalt
Praise with great intensity
revere · admire · praise · laud · acclaim · celebrate · honor · applaud · eulogize · commend
mentor
Trusted wisdom-giving advisor
- exemplarTypical perfect instance
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
pioneer · icon · influence · empowerment · motivation · admiration · leadership · uplifting · aspiration · guiding
heroizingvilifying
Maliciously disparaging someone
demonizing · villainizing · condemning · denouncing · excoriating
heroizingdeconstructing
Breaking into constituent elements
debunking · humanizing · complicating · contextualizing · scrutinizing
hero, heroic, heroism, heroine, heroes, heron, heroically, heroize, heroized