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1. (psychiatry) a defence mechanism that splits something you are ambivalent about into two representations--one good and one bad
   - idealization
    
2. Something that exists only as an idea
   - idealization
    
3. A portrayal of something as ideal
   "the idealisation of rural life was very misleading";
   - idealization, glorification

Derived forms: idealisations

Type of: admiration, appreciation, defence [Brit, Cdn], defence mechanism [Brit, Cdn], defence reaction [Brit, Cdn], defense [US], defense mechanism [US], defense reaction [US], idea, thought

Encyclopedia: Idealisation