1
as in theoretical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea
honesty is an ideal entity that has more admirers than practitioners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
depicts an ideal society in which conflict and privation are unknown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in perfect
being entirely without fault or flaw
for years she's been searching for a man who would make an ideal husband, and she's still looking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in idea
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she's our ideal of the concerned, caring physician
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in classic
the most perfect type or example
the Taj Mahal in India is generally regarded as the ideal of Mogul architectural beauty
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3
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
his ideal is to make enough money so that he can retire at 50
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ideal
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Two guest rooms — ideal for Kamal and Riva’s twin daughters — connect through a former sleeping porch with a fireplace and built-ins, creating flexible space for an office, hobby room or hangout area.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Faith Salie, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Studies in the 1960s and 1970s looked at how the spread of radio and television may have been exposing people to ideals about small families.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Adjective
Growing between 4 and 15-feet tall, mountain laurel plants make ideal foundation shrubs; however, dwarf varieties, like ‘Elf’ and ‘Tinkerbell,’ can also be kept in roomy and well-draining pots.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 13 June 2026
Two guest rooms — ideal for Kamal and Riva’s twin daughters — connect through a former sleeping porch with a fireplace and built-ins, creating flexible space for an office, hobby room or hangout area.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Noun
The ideals that are outlined in the Declaration of Independence are timeless.
—Faith Salie, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Studies in the 1960s and 1970s looked at how the spread of radio and television may have been exposing people to ideals about small families.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideal
Adjective
-
The cycle resembled theoretical versions of a Big Bang followed by a Big Crunch, a scenario in which the universe’s expansion eventually reverses.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
-
Though theoretical predictions suggest quantum systems could accelerate AI optimization tasks by 10^6 or more for specific problem classes, quantum machine learning remains experimental.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
She was arrested last summer for yelling at imaginary people due to her psychiatric challenges, Murphy said.—
Jack Dura,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
But these images as well as those from other cultures are evidence of how deeply the dog is lodged in folk consciousness as an imaginary animal alter ego.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Sparks were nearly perfect in the first quarter before committing their first turnover with under five minutes to play.—
Jordan Puente,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
The presidential suite has ergonomic desks and chairs (perfect for a working vacation) and brown leather details that give a cozy feel, plus floor-to-ceiling windows with unparalleled, unobstructed views of the city.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Since his Pop Art paintings in the early ‘60s at London’s Royal College of Art, Hockney was rarely out of the limelight and, more importantly, rarely out of fresh ideas for how to draw, paint, film, print, photograph or otherwise express his creativity.—
Barbara Isenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
In the end, an inexperienced minor – who has no idea who hired them – pulls the trigger.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Summer is the season to embrace colorful stones in addition to the classics.—
Aemilia Madden,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
-
During IndieWire’s Craft Roundtables panel, series production designer Susie Mancini spoke about fixing up the 1989 classic to retrofit it to a contemporary story.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The Supreme Court decided in 2014 that inherited IRAs do not qualify as retirement funds for purposes of federal bankruptcy protection, as beneficiaries cannot make new contributions and are often required to take distributions from the account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
That purpose might come from family, work, creativity, advocacy, faith or friendships.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Mystical, metaphysical, and frequently touched by whimsy, his boundary-breaking work reflected his abiding interest in Surrealists such as Joseph Cornell, Giorgio di Chirico, and René Magritte.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
12 June 2026
-
Some of the dialogue feels like Harrison’s own metaphysical musings rather than characters’ speech.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Jurassic Park screenwriter notes that aliens, both real and fictional, might exist entirely outside of the bounds of human comprehension.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
What was the challenge of making this fictional band’s stardom believable — the charisma, the presence on stage, the discography?—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideal. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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