Stylized describes something drawn, designed, written, or performed in a way that is clearly not natural or realistic, but shaped into a pleasing pattern on purpose. A stylized dragon on a temple wall, a stylized heart shape (real hearts look nothing like that), the stylized fighting in an old kung fu film — all deliberate, all recognisable as a choice.

Here is the feeling of the word that a dictionary can miss. 'Stylized' is usually neutral or approving. If I say a drawing is stylized, I am describing its method, and often quietly admiring it. If I wanted to criticise, I would say 'it doesn't look real' or 'it's badly drawn'. So do not hear a complaint where none is meant.

It is used most in design, animation, illustration, theatre, and film reviews. Logos are almost always stylized — that is their job, since a logo must be readable at the size of a thumbnail.

A useful pair to hold together: realistic and stylized sit at two ends of one line. Most art lives somewhere between them, so you will often read things like 'lightly stylized' or 'highly stylized', which tells you how far along that line the work sits.

Spelling again: British stylised, American stylized. Same word.