as in optimism
the attitude of a person who believes that it is possible to live according to very high standards of behavior and honesty
youthful idealism romantic idealism
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idealism
Think about Saturn’s boundary-setting, groundwork-loving nature being applied to Neptune’s ability to energize your artistic impulses and idealism.
—
Maressa Brown, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026
King’s approach suggests that Black–Jewish–Palestinian solidarity is not naïve idealism.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
Since the time of Locke, empiricism has been closely linked with political liberalism, whereas romantic idealism is associated with rather darker political forces.
—Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
The idealism of youth sports has been replaced by America’s preference for capitalism.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealism
Maressa Brown, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026
King’s approach suggests that Black–Jewish–Palestinian solidarity is not naïve idealism.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
Since the time of Locke, empiricism has been closely linked with political liberalism, whereas romantic idealism is associated with rather darker political forces.
—Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
The idealism of youth sports has been replaced by America’s preference for capitalism.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealism
Noun
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At first glance, the tower — one of Downtown Disney’s most striking works — appears to be a nod to Disneyland’s Midcentury art, for its curved lines and space-age optimism wouldn’t be out of place in Tomorrowland.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Public protest always carries a quiet optimism — the belief that democracy still breathes through the willingness of ordinary people to show up and speak out.—
Jodi Bondi Norgaard,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Also, of course, there was always the danger of damage in transit, of human carelessness.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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Someone gets hurt, the cause points toward another person’s carelessness, and suddenly, the situation becomes legal instead of just painful.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Her emotional frankness has also translated into measurable commercial impact.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2026
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The cast rises to the challenge of Churchill’s rapid-fire, often overlapping dialogue, with comedic highlights including Pope Joan’s coarse frankness and Dull Gret’s unexpected interjections.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The simpleness of the look really allowed the Crocs to stand out and make an impression.—
Tara Larson,
Footwear News,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Cove, on West Houston Street, does not mark an especially obvious step into maturity or anything narratively pat like that, because McGarry’s cooking and his businesses have never really had so much as a hint of childishness to begin with.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
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The gesture’s lack of dignity, its childishness, its pettiness, are completely in character.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Our current system denies new talent a livelihood, and the impracticality of such training, leads me to refrain from training them.—
Ted Hope,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
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Bulky travel accessories are more likely to be left at home and gather dust in the closet due to their impracticality, but this hanging pouch will suffer no such fate.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Her stylistic choices are warm, unique, and grounded in sincerity.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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While fashion has a long history of subverting religious motifs, Spradlin said the colors reflect a shift to sincerity, adding that Gen Z and millennials are outpacing older cohorts in church attendance.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Gilbert’s colloquial style, once a source of great pleasure, has tipped into new territory—an ingenuousness that blends guru and disciple, mother and child.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idealism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealism. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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