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
-
Many existing models still rely on empirical methods developed several decades ago.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Political parties in early America subsidized newspapers and became the foundation of the press’s business model.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
What fed into your early ideals about writing and reading?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Far from being a mere flaw, hypocrisy is the crucible in which ideals and reality collide.—
Shadi Hamid,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Seven decades later, these ideas are mainstream in both Israeli and US discourse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
One idea that still looks elegant but adds a little something-something?—
Luz García,
Glamour,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One that could eventually lead readers to engaging with poetry collections and classics with a new perspective.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The Highlander remake’s call sheet keeps getting longer and longer as Siobhán Cullen, Jun Jong-seo, Nassim Lyes, and Kevin McKidd have joined the Amazon MGM’s remake of the 1980s cult classic.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Dedicated to Dom Bosco, the patron saint of Brasília, the church is one of the city’s most significant spiritual sites.—
Greyson Ferguson,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Meanwhile, Mavis’ covers of songwriters who could be her grandchildren (indie rocker Kevin Morby, Frank Ocean), is a nod to her recent role as patron saint of for several younger generations.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
New Yorkers have always risen to critical moments—demanding not perfection, but courage and connection.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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Summary Apple's premium valuation has outpaced its earnings outlook, leaving the stock priced for perfection amid rising competitive.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For example, a government notice earlier this year referenced a construction project in Shaanxi province belonging to the CASC 4th Academy, which is widely known as the main contractor for solid-fuel rockets.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Benjamin Franklin, for example, worked tirelessly over the eight years between 1775 and 1783 to kindle the civil war within the British Empire into a worldwide blaze.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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While Allura’s relationship status is one of active warfare, each of her fellow partners’ respective statuses is a different manifestation of their line of work.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Jesus walked earth as God’s doings and words, as a manifestation of it, but Jesus was not God.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beau ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beau%20ideal. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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