ideal

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adjective ide·al \ī-ˈdē(-ə)l, ˈī-ˌdē(-ə)l\

Definition of ideal

1 : existing as an archetypal idea
2a : existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only; broadly : lacking practicalityb : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions
3a : of, relating to, or embodying an ideal ideal beautyb : conforming exactly to an ideal, law, or standard : perfect an ideal gas — compare real 2b(3)
4 : of or relating to philosophical idealism

See ideal defined for English-language learners

See ideal defined for kids

Examples of ideal in a Sentence

It was an ideal spot for a vacation.
She is an ideal candidate for the job.
The conference provided us with an ideal opportunity to meet new people.

Recent Examples of ideal from the Web

Cities like Lisbon and Porto and also Madeira, Algarve, and Azores are ideal hubs to kickstart your journey, with a variety of wildly diverse destinations nearby.

— Daily Intelligencer, "The Best ‘Stopover’ You’ll Ever Build Into Your Travel Plans," 18 July 2017
Summertime nostalgia is the focus of a new photography show in the West Village, offering an ideal escape from MTA woes and the heat.

— chloe fein, The Cut, "See Striking Portraits of Summer Nostalgia," 18 July 2017
Then there’s the taste: The flavors are bright, the produce is fresh, and the balance between fruit, vegetables, and herbs is ideal.

— priya krishna, Bon Appetit, "Is This Bottled Gazpacho Your New Green Juice?," 17 July 2017
The aggregate economic cost of climate change is reduced because the burden disproportionately falls on those with low incomes, hardly the ideal way to slash the cost of warming.

— The Economist, "Free exchangeClimate change and inequality," 13 July 2017
Work-at-home jobs are often an ideal way to pursue your career goals, earn an income, and achieve better work-life balance—all from the comfort of your home.

— jessica mattern, Woman's Day, "How to Tell If a Work-From-Home Job Is a Scam," 10 July 2017
Every bite of the carne asada burrito ($5.99) proved to be ideal, the steak rich and slightly crisp at the edges, while the rice, beans and sour cream made for a filling and tasty experience.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Meal time or not, Supermercado Guanajuato is worth a stop | Review," 5 July 2017
A workforce that that’s built on flexibility and experimentation sounds ideal.

— gillian b. white, The Atlantic, "Can Capitalism Reinvent Itself?," 30 June 2017
WHO estimates that 14.5 million people have lost regular access to clean water, creating an ideal environment for Vibrio cholerae.

— kai kupferschmidt, Science | AAAS, "Cholera vaccine faces major test in war-torn Yemen," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ideal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ideal

Middle English ydeall, from Late Latin idealis, from Latin idea

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

ideal

noun ide·al

Definition of ideal

1 : a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence
2 : one regarded as exemplifying an ideal and often taken as a model for imitation
3 : an ultimate object or aim of endeavor : goal
4 : a subset of a mathematical ring that is closed under addition and subtraction and contains the products of any given element of the subset with each element of the ring

idealless

play \ī-ˈdē(-ə)l-ləs\ adjective

See ideal defined for English-language learners

Examples of ideal in a Sentence

an ideal of romantic love
He hasn't lived up to his high ideals.
She considers the actress her ideal.

Recent Examples of ideal from the Web

While many would argue these ideals still guide public policy here, others will tell you some communities are deteriorating at a quicker pace than others, and the idea of revitalizing those neighborhoods has met with some pushback.

— leonardo mcclarty, Columbia Flier, "Columbia's future has same vision, different look," 19 July 2017
Indeed, a specific piece of art, Pierre Du Fayet's fiberglass and gold-leaf sculpture known as The People Tree, prominently symbolizes the community's unifying ideals at its downtown lakefront perch.

— Columbia Flier, "Art played a part in building Columbia," 27 June 2017
ARTS & CULTURE Pippa Garner at Redling Fine Art: Vehicles for clever satire Artist Pippa Garner is a sublime satirist, wreaking havoc on folksy American ideals like ingenuity and open-mindedness.

— tre'vell anderson, Los Angeles Times, "Self Help Graphics project empowers day laborers through art," 6 May 2017
ARTS & CULTURE Pippa Garner at Redling Fine Art: Vehicles for clever satire Artist Pippa Garner is a sublime satirist, wreaking havoc on folksy American ideals like ingenuity and open-mindedness.

— tre'vell anderson, Los Angeles Times, "Self Help Graphics project empowers day laborers through art," 6 May 2017

First Known Use of ideal

15th century

Synonym Discussion of ideal

model, example, pattern, exemplar, ideal mean someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation. model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation. a decor that is a model of good taste example applies to a person to be imitated or in some contexts on no account to be imitated but to be regarded as a warning. children tend to follow the example of their parents pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype. American industry set a pattern for others to follow exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification. cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception. never found a job that matched his ideal

IDEAL Defined for English Language Learners

ideal

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adjective

Definition of ideal for English Language Learners

: exactly right for a particular purpose, situation, or person

ideal

noun

Definition of ideal for English Language Learners

: an idea or standard of perfection or excellence
: someone or something that is believed to be perfect : someone or something that you admire and want to imitate

IDEAL Defined for Kids

ideal

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adjective ide·al \ī-ˈdē-əl\

Definition of ideal for Students

: having no flaw : perfect ideal weather

ideally

adverb

ideal

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noun ide·al

Definition of ideal for Students

1 : a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence He couldn't live up to his own ideals.
2 : someone who deserves to be imitated or admired She considered the older woman her ideal.

Medical Dictionary

ideal

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adjective ide·al \ī-ˈdē(-ə)l, ˈī-ˌ\

Medical Definition of ideal

1: existing as an archetypal idea
2a: existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination onlyb: relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions

ideal

noun ide·al

Medical Definition of ideal

: a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence self-criticism and the formation of ideals are…the essential manifestations of the superego—G. S. Blum