ideally

adverb

ide·al·ly | \ ī-ˈdē-ə-lē

, -ˈdē(-ə)l-lē\

Definition of ideally

1 : in idea or imagination : mentally

2 : in relation to an exemplar

3a : conformably to or in respect to an ideal : perfectly

b : for best results ideally, the counselor should vary his techniques for each applicant— T. M. Martinez

c : in accordance with an ideal or typical standard : classically

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about ideally

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Examples of ideally in a Sentence

His skills made him ideally suited for the job. They were ideally suited to one another. The ski slope was situated ideally.

Recent Examples on the Web

These little guys make ideally perfect gyros, since they’re insulated from friction. — Frank Wilczek, WSJ, "Gyroscopes, Pulsars and the Power of Spin," 13 Sep. 2018 Union head Richard Ferruccio says quads are not desirable and ideally there would be more officers. — USA TODAY, "Ladybug storm, a riot going on, sweaty Sparty: News from around our 50 states," 6 June 2019 Kennedy said ideally the votes would happen in November 2020. — J. Harry Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Two North County districts contemplating exit from the San Diego County Water Authority," 5 June 2019 As long as your friend doesn’t seem in danger of harming themselves or others, consider taking a beat and starting the conversation after the anger and annoyance have receded, ideally in person. — Brittany Risher, SELF, "12 Things to Do When You Know Someone You Love Isn't 'Fine'," 18 Aug. 2018 For most conditions, your best choice is a pair of thin, lightweight trekking pants, ideally with some mesh panels to foster airflow. — Andrew Skurka, Outside Online, "How to Pack for a Hike," 21 May 2018 Best Buy’s new finance chief ideally should be well versed in omnichannel retailing to attract customers online as well as offline, according to Jonathan Matuszewski, an analyst at Jefferies. — Nina Trentmann, WSJ, "Best Buy Expected to Look for Tech-Savvy CFO to Advance Turnaround," 15 Apr. 2019 Still, careful selective breeding, ideally of animals that move at less than a mile a minute, can make significant inroads. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Why Are Some Animals Impossible To Domesticate?," 13 Mar. 2019 The evaluation of progress is ideally filled out by a Florida certified teacher, but not necessarily. — Madeleine Marr, miamiherald, "In the wake of the Douglas High mass shooting, is homeschooling a better option?," 15 Feb. 2018

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