1
as in model
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she is the beau ideal of the dedicated medical professional
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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
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Recent Examples of beau ideal
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
There was a time when the beau ideal was to drive your sports car to the track, paint numbers on it, go racing and then drive home.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 6 July 2017
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
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
There was a time when the beau ideal was to drive your sports car to the track, paint numbers on it, go racing and then drive home.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 6 July 2017
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
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Whatever is decided, some kind of change in Madrid’s club model is coming, and has been in preparation for some time.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Beyond medical uses The team also equipped the robot with a tiny camera, enabling it to inspect hard-to-reach spots inside the jet engine model.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Their romantic and radical ideals collapsed together.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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While Njoku's name has been mentioned, one Browns' insider fired back against that ideal.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Based on an idea by Bernabei, the series is written by Elena Bucaccio, Matthew Parkhill and Francesco Arlanch.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Construction robots are no longer a far-off idea.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Unlike that 1994 classic, the new film will focus on a younger Lugosi, capturing his meteoric rise to become one of cinema’s most enduring and recognizable figures.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
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For younger consumers, the brand meets their demand for authenticity and heritage through elevated classics with oversized silhouettes, modern tailoring, and sustainable finishing techniques.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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D’Angelo could become a patron saint for this ethos.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
18 Oct. 2025
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The city’s musical patron saint, Leonard Cohen, along with Arcade Fire, Alison Russell, Grimes, Godspeed You!—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Prioritizing perfection, or at least the absence of mistakes, has impacted military leadership culture in many ways.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
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The sessions, recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in just three days, were less about perfection than presence.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sea star wasting disease is a rare example of a fast and coordinated response to a marine epidemic.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Oct. 2025
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This is also a great time to marvel at other examples of the city’s architecture, like the Catedral de Mallorca, a cathedral towering over the city skyline and the Llotja de Palma, a 15th-century Gothic guildhall that frequently hosts art exhibitions.—
Emilio Parra Doiztua,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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With themes of resilience, victory, and joy as a healing balm, Joy in the Belly of a Riot is a beautiful manifestation of how poetry has the power to heal and help one overcome pain.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Essence,
9 Oct. 2025
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Wednesday’s fourth quarter was a manifestation of their Cinderella story.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beau ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beau%20ideal. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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