How to Use ideal in a Sentence

ideal

1 of 2 adjective
  • She is an ideal candidate for the job.
  • It was an ideal spot for a vacation.
  • The conference provided us with an ideal opportunity to meet new people.
  • The ideal pH is in the neutral range, between 6.8 and 7.2.
    Nadia Hassani, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2024
  • The ideal time to water a lawn is between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m.
    Brett Martin, Popular Mechanics, 21 July 2023
  • The ideal power source is best left up to the consumer, as all of the options will work well.
    Alida Nugent, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2023
  • These snacks have the ideal amount of high-energy carbs that are tasty and easy to prep.
    Natalie Rizzo, Women's Health, 2 Aug. 2023
  • To do that, the small, narrow tip of her contour pen is ideal.
    Georgia Day, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2023
  • Curate a playlist for the dinner that will create the ideal ambiance for the scene.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2023
  • Place the pin at least a couple inches back from the face, with ideal placement just above the ear.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 21 July 2023
  • In the next few weeks, Holmes Chapel Partnership will be on the hunt for the most ideal candidates for the role.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024
  • The quest for the ideal balance of support, style and ergonomics can be a daunting task.
    Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
  • The Raiders aren’t having an ideal start with their rookie class.
    Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2023
  • This planter is ideal for those with small kitchens and living in apartments.
    Nor'adila Hepburn, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2024
  • The cattle drive proved to be an ideal subject for McMurtry.
    Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
  • At less than a half-inch thick with a 6.8-inch screen, the slim, compact design is ideal for travel.
    Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2023
  • Butcher Knife Set and Knife Rollup are ideal for the hunter who processes on their own.
    The Editors, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023
  • Flattering on all skin tones, the mocha mani is ideal for long summer days and balmy nights.
    Tish Weinstock, Vogue, 27 June 2023
  • If the Panthers do not land a top-two pick then Levis could be an ideal selection.
    Ellis Williams, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
  • The subtle glow of lanterns and votives, meanwhile, is ideal for winding down with friends over a glass (or two) of wine.
    Maggie Burch, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2023
  • The moon and Jupiter’s alignment is an ideal time to pool your resources with another’s!
    USA TODAY, 14 June 2023
  • The peel-and-stick kitchen backsplash is ideal for a beginner DIYer.
    Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2023
  • The beef at Budacki’s is ideal for people who prefer not to have their mouth set aflame with spice.
    Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu, Bon Appétit, 16 June 2023
  • This flattering cozy lounge set with a v-neck top and wide-leg pants is the ideal choice for a comfortable and stylish lazy day outfit.
    Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2023
  • Now’s the ideal moment to shift from our lightweight summer lip gloss and reach for our favorite lipsticks.
    Akili King, Essence, 13 Oct. 2023
  • With a pull-on design and loose fit, the Halife Bohemian Tunic Dress is ideal to wear at the pool, beach, and beyond.
    Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 25 June 2023
  • Indeed, there are footwear styles ideal for each scenario.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2023
  • The ideal scenario for a Match Group company is that users meet their partner on one of our dating apps, delete the app, and then tell all their friends about it.
    Bernard Kim, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
  • Since day-old bread makes for great croutons, this is an ideal recipe to throw together with leftovers.
    Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2023
  • True auto enthusiasts know that Amazon is not the ideal place to shop for car parts.
    Jon Langston, Car and Driver, 7 July 2023
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ideal

2 of 2 noun
  • He hasn't lived up to his high ideals.
  • She considers the actress her ideal.
  • Asha, the daughter of a philosopher, reflects the hope and ideals of a people.
    Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Nov. 2023
  • His real crime is his love for the ideals of the free world, and for that sin, the West must rescue him at all costs.
    Melik Kaylan, WSJ, 7 July 2023
  • There is a slight oyster-shell brininess in the wine that makes this ideal for seafood.
    Sunset Staff, Sunset Magazine, 14 Sep. 2023
  • This is the reverse angle on the ideal that Jews brought to the American stage.
    Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
  • Implicit in both hires was the ideal of dialogue, or the need to hear from all sides for the truth to emerge.
    Joseph Epstein, WSJ, 30 Oct. 2023
  • That meant enlisting friends and staffers with their same pedigree and ideals to run.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
  • But the Israel-Hamas war is testing the young musicians’ ideals.
    Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2023
  • The beach is considered one of the best on the island, accessed at the base of a lengthy, steep, and winding road, and ideal for swimming.
    Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2023
  • Shapiro, who subscribed to many of the ideals of the peer-to-peer movement, was beginning to fear where cloud computing might lead the web.
    WIRED, 3 Aug. 2023
  • Those ideals, of course, are beyond your control, Reader.
    Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 8 Dec. 2023
  • But when Jan’s will puts Siti at the forefront of the family estate, ideals prove to be idle and blood thicker than water.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Dec. 2023
  • The Nexus 7 was as close as Google (or, arguably, anyone) ever got to the platonic ideal of a small tablet.
    Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 10 May 2023
  • For decades, the Olympics trumpeted the ideal of amateurism.
    Victor Mather, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
  • Cooler overcast mornings were both pleasant on the body and ideal for catching a kayak-load of bluegills.
    Jim Gronaw, Baltimore Sun, 2 July 2023
  • Putin had watched in horror through the 1990s as democratic ideals came in fits and twitches after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 28 July 2023
  • Overall, Adrafinil capsules are the most popular form and ideal for new Adrafinil users.
    The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
  • Under the terms of the deal, some of OpenAI’s original ideals of granting equal access to all were seemingly dragged to the trash icon.
    Steven Levy, WIRED, 5 Sep. 2023
  • Still, the premier was long on ideals and imagery, but short on concrete initiatives.
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 28 June 2023
  • The top and shorts both have a loose fit ideal for those lazy Sundays spent on the couch, and they can be worn separately with other PJs, too.
    Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023
  • As the characters debate ideals, weigh choices, and battle their own and others’ egos, the tale gathers speed.
    Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2023
  • And if a blended culture is the ideal, what are the proper proportions in the mix of ingredients?
    Larry Rohter, The New York Review of Books, 14 Sep. 2023
  • At the foundation of today’s CEO ideal is self-awareness.
    Bygeoff Colvin, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023
  • Read on to learn how Berk took this room from an empty glass-and-steel box to an inviting space ideal for entertaining.
    Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2023
  • There are also larger models for eight or more adults, as well as extra-small hot tubs ideal for two.
    Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 16 May 2023
  • Yet his ideal was not a fresh faced flapper but a sophisticate.
    Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2023
  • This makes cordless vacuums easy to use and ideal for cleanups in hard-to-reach areas of your home as well as your vehicle.
    Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 1 July 2023
  • While many feel that the áo dài is a symbol of a nostalgic past, the dress is fraught with tension, standing at the precipice of tradition and progressive ideals.
    Thao Thai, ELLE, 30 June 2023
  • Take in the magic of the park by renting a yurt, each boasting a private deck area ideal for sipping coffee while taking in the mountains' majesty.
    Lyndsey Matthews, Country Living, 6 July 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ideal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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