ideal

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

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of ideal

1 : existing as an archetypal idea

2 a : existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only; broadly : lacking practicality

b : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions

3 a : of, relating to, or embodying an ideal

ideal beauty

b : 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

Easter falls on April 1 this year, so the beginning of the month will be an ideal time to stock up on holiday leftovers, such as candy and decorations.

— cleveland.com, "NerdWallet's tips on what to buy (and skip) in April," 5 Apr. 2018
This is an ideal time to update my top 25 players overall and the top 10 at each position (coming soon to online and print).

— eddie brown, sandiegouniontribune.com, "NFL Draft 2018 Big Board: Updated top 25 prospects," 2 Apr. 2018
For whatever reason, the hiring had been prevented from happening at an ideal time.

— pat disabato, Daily Southtown, "Disabato: Jevon Mamon 'blessed' to be part of Loyola's remarkable ride in NCAA tourney," 28 Mar. 2018
With a healthy labor market and a robust economy, now is an ideal time for job seekers to make a move toward landing their dream jobs.

— NBC News, "Why these are LinkedIn's top companies — and how to get in the door," 27 Mar. 2018
This was hardly the ideal time to announce what will be seen in the U.S. as a €5 billion tax grab aimed at American multinationals by taxing their European sales rather than their profits.

— WSJ, "Europe Plants a Flag in the Digital-Tax Debate," 21 Mar. 2018
If Forrest’s performance in FSU’s NCAA Tournament victory over Missouri late Friday night is any indication, Forrest may be coming into his own at the most ideal time for the Seminoles.

— safid deen, OrlandoSentinel.com, "NCAA Tournament: Trent Forrest's surge could fuel FSU against Xavier in second round," 17 Mar. 2018
Despite struggling to stay healthy, and playing in less than ideal situations, the 24-year-old has managed to put up some lofty numbers in his young career.

— steven ruiz, For The Win, "Ranking the top-25 NFL free agents and predicting where they'll sign," 7 Mar. 2018
This seems to be the ideal time to bring in Italy's next generation of young stars.

— SI.com, "FanView: Patrick Cutrone Is the Future of Milan But Could He Become Italy's Harry Kane?," 19 Feb. 2018

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

ideal Synonyms

Other Physics Terms

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

ideal

noun

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

The black pepper in this dish makes this pasta ideal for Italy’s most important grape variety: Sangiovese.

— carole kotkin, miamiherald, "Leftover cheeses can be used for quiche, soups or omelets | Miami Herald," 5 Apr. 2018
His vision was for the fulfillment of basic American ideals of liberty and equality.

— paul harvey, Houston Chronicle, "MLK: From 'civil saint' to 'underappreciated' radical critic (with video)," 4 Apr. 2018
The result is a series of open, airy spaces, ideal for browsing.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "Can this startup reinvent the corner store without killing it?," 19 Mar. 2018
In spite of the tech world’s embrace, others see the concept of basic income as running counter to American ideals.

— jason bellini, WSJ, "Universal Basic Income: Two Contrasting Views on Free Money," 16 Mar. 2018
The eatery will also experiment with dishes made in an old-school grill box called a caja china, ideal for roasting pigs.

— sarah meehan, baltimoresun.com, "Here's when Sandlot will reopen in Harbor Point," 12 Mar. 2018
That’s because the wallpapered set was incredibly graphic — ideal for a phone screen.

— cathy horyn, The Cut, "How to Make Political Fashion," 27 Feb. 2018
But for drivers who cherish the American ideal of a spontaneous cross-country road trip, charging these vehicles will be a challenge.

— nathan bomey, USA TODAY, "New electric cars in 2018 spark need for more charging stations," 25 Jan. 2018
Bruce Springsteen’s song underscores American ideals and uses the image of a train as a powerful metaphor for America as a nation of immigrants.

— allyson hobbs, The Root, "After 1 Year of Trump, America Is Losing Its Soul," 20 Jan. 2018

First Known Use of ideal

15th century

ideal Synonyms

Synonyms

aim, ambition, aspiration, design, dream, end, goal, idea, intent, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, target, thing;

Near Antonyms

means, method, way;

Related Words

grail, holy grail;

plot, project, scheme;

desire, hope, mind, wish;

nirvana;

destination, terminus;

Phrases

name of the game;

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

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

adjective ide·al \ ī-ˈdē-əl \

Definition of ideal for Students

: having no flaw : perfect

ideal weather

—

ideally

adverb

ideal

noun

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

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

medical Definition of ideal

1 : existing as an archetypal idea

2 a : existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only

b : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions

ideal

noun

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

Learn More about ideal

See words that rhyme with ideal Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ideal Spanish Central: Translation of ideal Nglish: Translation of ideal for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ideal for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ideal

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ideal

Definition of ideal

Examples of ideal in a Sentence

Recent Examples of ideal from the Web

Origin and Etymology of ideal

ideal Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Physics Terms

ideal

Definition of ideal

idealless

Examples of ideal in a Sentence

Recent Examples of ideal from the Web

First Known Use of ideal

ideal Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Phrases

Synonym Discussion of ideal

Phrases Related to IDEAL

Related Phrases

IDEAL Defined for English Language Learners

ideal

Definition of ideal for English Language Learners

ideal

Definition of ideal for English Language Learners

IDEAL Defined for Kids

ideal

Definition of ideal for Students

ideally

ideal

Definition of ideal for Students

Medical Dictionary

ideal

medical Definition of ideal

ideal

medical Definition of ideal

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