1
as in model
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she is the beau ideal of the dedicated medical professional
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ideal
the most perfect type or example
Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architectural creation, Falling Water, is widely regarded as the beau ideal of a building in harmony with its setting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of beau ideal
The beau ideal of local graft was Hall’s boss, Fate Thomas, the Davidson County sheriff.
—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
For those who’ve forgotten, celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti was seen for a time as the Democratic beau ideal, a brawler who could get under Trump’s skin and take the fight to the president like few others could or would.
—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
13 Nov. 2025
The beau ideal of illiberal democracy is, of course, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, who outlined the term in a 2014 speech.
—
Michael Brendan Dougherty,
National Review,
31 Jan. 2024
Fieg is its beau ideal.
—
Kareem Rashed,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2022
At Délice & Sarrasin, a charming French bistro in the West Village, vegans can bide their time in style, enticing new recruits with the beau ideal of meatless haute cuisine.
—
David Kortava,
The New Yorker,
24 Sep. 2021
If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration.
—
Michael Beller,
SI.com,
23 May 2018
Conservatives like to imagine Reagan as the beau ideal of a president who faithfully adhered to their principles, but Trump is the president who has actually done it.
—
Jonathan Chait,
Daily Intelligencer,
23 Feb. 2018
If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium.
—
William Stadiem,
Town & Country,
2 Aug. 2016
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
For those who’ve forgotten, celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti was seen for a time as the Democratic beau ideal, a brawler who could get under Trump’s skin and take the fight to the president like few others could or would.
—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
13 Nov. 2025
The beau ideal of illiberal democracy is, of course, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, who outlined the term in a 2014 speech.
—
Michael Brendan Dougherty,
National Review,
31 Jan. 2024
Fieg is its beau ideal.
—
Kareem Rashed,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2022
At Délice & Sarrasin, a charming French bistro in the West Village, vegans can bide their time in style, enticing new recruits with the beau ideal of meatless haute cuisine.
—
David Kortava,
The New Yorker,
24 Sep. 2021
If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration.
—
Michael Beller,
SI.com,
23 May 2018
Conservatives like to imagine Reagan as the beau ideal of a president who faithfully adhered to their principles, but Trump is the president who has actually done it.
—
Jonathan Chait,
Daily Intelligencer,
23 Feb. 2018
If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium.
—
William Stadiem,
Town & Country,
2 Aug. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beau ideal
Noun
-
Through a series of measures starting in 2022, Washington has cut off China’s access to the cutting-edge GPUs, throttling Chinese companies’ efforts in competing for the top AI models with US tech giants.
-
Meta announced its new set of smart glasses priced at $299, undercutting some of its earlier models as the company pushes to bring wearables to a broader audience.
Noun
-
Such action would honor history, affirm human dignity and move Nassau County closer to the ideals of liberty and justice for all.
-
As the Broncos have placed a premium on drafting and acquiring players who specifically fit their ideals around leadership and IQ in the locker room, Jonah’s intangibles stood out, too.
Noun
-
In Labour circles, there is an old joke poking fun at Burnham’s chameleon-like ability to blend into whichever set of ideas is in vogue on the left at that moment in time.
-
That idea guided nearly every aspect of the wardrobe.
Noun
-
Ray-Ban Wayfarers are included in this week’s deals, an iconic classic no sunglass selection should be without.
-
Eddie Murphy’s comedy classic serves a feast of romance, mistaken identities, and enough barbershop philosophy to fill a kingdom.
Noun
-
The performance was partly inspired by the Italian patron saint processions Mesiti grew up attending with her immigrant Calabrian family in Sydney.
-
The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman.
Noun
-
By evening, honor progress over perfection.
-
But the stock had been priced for near perfection at the height of the technology bubble.
Noun
-
The Chicago suburb of Kenilworth and the Washington, DC, suburb of Chevy Chase, for example, have fewer than 5,000 households each.
-
This is just one example of the many good Turkish Clinics that offer hair transplants at lower prices than those in some markets.
Noun
-
And Zach, talk about manifestation.
-
Dorough, who performs with Richardson, Nick Carter, AJ McLean and Brian Littrell hopes that the manifestation comes true.
Cite this Entry
“Beau ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beau%20ideal. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
