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
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
All these offers expire on February 23, so get to finding your ideal bed partner today.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
The company’s brand has already suffered greatly under Musk’s leadership, with droves of potential buyers being pushed away by his inflammatory rhetoric and embrace of far-right ideals.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Adjective
Plus, the resulting soot piled up at the bottom of your oven is less than ideal.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
All these offers expire on February 23, so get to finding your ideal bed partner today.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
The safety of employment doesn’t seem to factor into Anthropic’s ideals.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
The company’s brand has already suffered greatly under Musk’s leadership, with droves of potential buyers being pushed away by his inflammatory rhetoric and embrace of far-right ideals.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideal
Adjective
-
Palmer’s goal from open play, which involved theoretical No 10 Fernandez carrying the ball out wide, full-back Cucurella underlapping him, and Palmer finishing in the box, summed that up.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The partnership is shifting from theoretical research to the project development phase, with a focus on delivering a 50 MW commercial pilot.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Finally, the researchers did another version of the original test but used imaginary grapes instead of juice, with similar results.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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Unfortunately, the new love in your life may be imaginary and only after your bank account.—
C. A. Bridges,
Florida Times-Union,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Host a Pottery or Clay Night Air-dry or oven-bake clay is beginner-friendly and perfect for a cozy craft night.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
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Consider giving the décor a slight nautical touch, and define the dining area with charming string lights to give your evening a perfect glow as the sun sets.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And with Valentine's Day coming up fast, check out our list of nine restaurants with a romantic vibe, and 12 ideas to celebrate your sweetie as well as your galentines, from a tea party to a burlesque show to a day cruise.—
Kathleen Hill,
The Providence Journal,
7 Feb. 2026
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The supernatural romance is based on an idea from Shyamalan and Sparks.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The panel will turn on adapting the novel’s magical realism, shaping its multi-generational story for an eight‑episode series and the creative collaboration behind bringing this beloved classic to global audiences, the Berlinale Series Market confirmed Wednesday.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Family-Style Feast While a buffet or multi-course meal are classics at weddings, consider serving up your rehearsal dinner family style.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nevertheless, laid low by cancer and the claim battle, Karen Powers continued on in the job that had provided her with a lifelong sense of meaning and purpose.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
SpaceX plans to use its Starship system for the task — the largest spacecraft and rocket system ever built, and the vehicle that Musk says is purpose-made for taking people to Mars.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Suffice to say that Zi’s condition may not be a physical issue or even a mental one but, rather, a metaphysical state.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
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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
Adjective
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The best of all sports-movie subgenres, football films have given us great characters – real and fictional – and a bunch of awesome cinematic moments in everything from screwball comedies to real-life narratives.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The overall look has drawn comparisons to a fictional stealth aircraft rather than a conventional Navy jet.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideal. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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