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

Crack all 12 eggs into a large bowl (ideally with a pour spout). — Ashleigh Spitza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Picky, picky: Strategies to get your kids (or yourself) to try new foods," 11 June 2018 When the timer goes off, get up from your desk and walk briskly outside or around the office for, ideally, 10 minutes. — Mike Candelaria, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Got 5 minutes? You have time to exercise," 11 July 2018 Residents can prepare by storing water, food, medicine and other supplies to sustain themselves for, ideally, two weeks, or at least a minimum of 72 hours. — Rong-gong Lin Ii And Sarah Parvini, sacbee, "The Big One could leave 250,000 to 400,000 quake refugees in California. Where will they go?," 3 June 2018 Freddie Mac has had flexibility on DTIs built into its underwriting system for years and also can go to 50 percent, ideally for borrowers with compensating factors such as a higher down payment or high bank reserves. — Kenneth R. Harney, chicagotribune.com, "Getting mortgage approval could be easier than you think," 25 July 2017 The identification will ideally come in within 48 hours, Maria Diuk-Wasser, Ph.D., a professor at Columbia University who helped develop the app, tells SELF. — Kate Sheridan, SELF, "Here’s Exactly What to Do if a Tick Bites You," 14 July 2018 Family disputes are often settled with a fight, ideally a fair one-on-one with a referee and no weapons. — The Economist, "A British traveller’s travelogue," 12 July 2018 All that’s left for Klopp to become a legend at this football club is to win a piece of silverware, or ideally a Premier League title, and then the ‘heavy metal’ journey will be complete. — SI.com, "How Jurgen Klopp's 'Heavy Metal' Style Has Put Liverpool Back Among Europe's Elite," 12 July 2018 View Sample Sign Up Now The American Heart Association says that blood pressure should ideally be 120/80 mmHg or below. — Alice Park, Time, "This Surprising Factor May Raise Your Risk of Alzheimer’s," 11 July 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.