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 mythic
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Clara McMahon, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
The performance increase outweighs this increase in power draw, but drawing more power is never ideal.
—PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
From $255 per night. BOOK NOW The clear blue water of Cenote Dos Ojos isi ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Adjective
Light and airy clothes will always be in for spring — but Bryce Dallas Howard just reminded us of a versatile denim style that’s also ideal for the season.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
The performance increase outweighs this increase in power draw, but drawing more power is never ideal.
—PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
This report defined cultural war as an intense conflict between groups that have different cultural ideals and beliefs, especially between conservative and liberal groups.
—Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
From $255 per night. BOOK NOW The clear blue water of Cenote Dos Ojos isi ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideal
Adjective
-
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, for example, can yet orchestrate a theoretical swing of close to £12million ($16m), a significant sum for those requiring summer rebuilds on finite resources.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Indeed, the risk of diversion from Plaintiff's sales is more than theoretical—the government can prove that Plaintiff actually sold LSD to a minor as well as an undercover officer.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
From classic denim designs to vibrant colorways and distressed finishes, flared jeans find their perfect ally in platform shoes.—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Los Angeles, which wanted to move up to draft Brock Bowers last year, found an option at tight end in this draft in Terrance Ferguson, a four-year starter out of Oregon who could become a perfect complement in the middle of the field to the 1-2 punch on the outside in Davante Adams and Puka Nacua.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Deporting supposed gang members and Hamas supporters without due process may violate any number of statutes, but forcing oppositionists to defend these people’s rights allows the administration to paint them as defending their ideas.—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The basic idea is to start with something large and compact it down for easy transport.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
This is a club, as the Joy Division classic goes, that is meant to fall apart when Easter arrives.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The film, which is considered a cult classic in Hip-Hop circles, also included appearances by JAY-Z and Dash himself.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And then there's still a question after that, of meaning and purpose.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
27 Apr. 2025
-
The two sides talked football on the visit, but the other purpose of bringing him to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center was to learn about the young man under the helmet.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The series titles alludes to mythical and powerful ancient artifacts from the game universe.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The First Shadow is a stand-alone prequel to the series, and its creators say the play is, in fact, canon to its mythical universe, and could be referenced in the upcoming Season Five of the series.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Though the cleanup crews have drawn wide praise, the work has not been flawless.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
-
In thought leadership, the real win isn’t in being flawless.—
Rhea Wessel,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The tiered model approach allows developers to select the appropriate balance between performance and cost, with GPT-4.1 Nano being ideal for tasks like classification or autocompletion, and the standard GPT-4.1 model suited for more complex applications.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The model aims to help students live and learn together—making everyone feel welcome, and also helping students navigate the conflicts that inevitably arise in a community where people have different world views.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideal. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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