1
as in theoretical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea
honesty is an ideal entity that has more admirers than practitioners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
depicts an ideal society in which conflict and privation are unknown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in perfect
being entirely without fault or flaw
for years she's been searching for a man who would make an ideal husband, and she's still looking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in idea
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she's our ideal of the concerned, caring physician
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in classic
the most perfect type or example
the Taj Mahal in India is generally regarded as the ideal of Mogul architectural beauty
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3
as in purpose
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
his ideal is to make enough money so that he can retire at 50
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ideal
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 31 Jan. 2026
These scuffs are an ideal house shoe, with a cozy felt exterior and toasty faux-fur interior.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Another bathroom-friendly pick is Benjamin Moore’s Evening Sky, ideal for drama-seekers.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Adjective
Build Storage Cubes Winter is ideal for building pieces like storage cubes, says Myles Robinson of UK Composite Doors.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 31 Jan. 2026
These scuffs are an ideal house shoe, with a cozy felt exterior and toasty faux-fur interior.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
His ideals were ever at home at Monticello.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Another bathroom-friendly pick is Benjamin Moore’s Evening Sky, ideal for drama-seekers.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideal
Adjective
-
As with every cycle, some schools will benefit more than others from district realignment, but Carter said getting too wrapped up in theoretical scenarios doesn’t serve much purpose.—
Colby Gordon,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Originally, this was a great mystery, as cosmic rays were known to be composed almost exclusively of protons, and the theoretical limit on a proton that traveled through intergalactic space should forbid such excessively high energies.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The bottom three stars can then be used to point the way to the Andromeda galaxy, by following an imaginary line from the 'base' of the stellar triangle up through the bright star Shedar and beyond, as shown in the finder map above.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
In demonstrating the technology to CalMatters, using an imaginary 56-year-old female patient who complained of trouble breathing, Scope asked several follow-up questions to drill down on her symptoms.—
Cal Matters,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And his two Super Bowls were against the New England Patriots, taking down Belichick and Tom Brady to spoil their perfect 2007 season and the 2011 campaign.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
With enticing descriptions and exquisite photography, the book is perfect for travelers to leaf through for destination inspiration.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Everybody’s scrolling and everybody’s skipping, but to actually sit down, put a record on and consume it, that’s a very romantic idea.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
-
As outré as Camel Lights gets, the presence of such treasured guests and ideas apparently rattling around Geologist’s brain for 28 years conveys the sense that this is a genuinely personal work—not a one-off novelty.—
Zach Schonfeld,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Simultaneously, her Uncle walks into Ho Jin’s house, waxing eloquent about his grandfather’s collection of classics.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Lady Gaga revisited a childhood classic for a new Super Bowl commercial.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In a consumer environment growing increasingly skeptical, leading with purpose and transparency builds trust and authority that will compound over time.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In a prepared speech, Kristi Noem lied about the events, claiming Alex Pretti approached agents with a firearm, and that Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, came for the sole purpose of murder.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Breaking down such a layered metaphysical concept with the relatively few words left in this review would be a fool’s errand, but suffice it to say that all of the math miraculously checks out.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The Jupe bros – Jacobi and big brother Noah (as the stage Hamlet), who are both going places – playing characters that reflect each other in a metaphysical way.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This could even include being part of a role-play activity that is based on their favorite storyline, a nostalgic scene or even a fictional world.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Featuring Tim McGraw, Eric Church, and Morgan Wallen, the song finds each artist inhabiting a specific member of the landowning (fictional) McArthur family.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideal. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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