as in romantic
having or marked by a tendency to be guided more by ideals than by reality
an idealist attempt to make a go of a mom-and-pop hardware store on Main Street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dreamer
one whose conduct is guided more by the image of perfection than by the real world
an idealist sees the best in everyone, regardless of how they behave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idealist
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
In the new release, Temple plays idealist scientist Dr. Teddy Paine opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor’s General Rex Strickland — the overseer of a secret research facility dedicated to symbiotes.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Literary Hub, 20 Mar. 2026
While Sophie has a pragmatic approach to life, she’s complemented by Benedict, a dreamy idealist.
—Kat Moon, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealist
Adjective
Labour leader Starmer, though, has taken a realist rather than an idealist approach to the president, putting Britain's foreign policy interests above the strong opposition to Trump in the rank and file of his own party.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
In the new release, Temple plays idealist scientist Dr. Teddy Paine opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor’s General Rex Strickland — the overseer of a secret research facility dedicated to symbiotes.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
Gorton skillfully depicts the grueling decades-long struggle of Sanger (the icon, in this telling) and Dennett (the idealist) to make birth control available and legal, as well as their interpersonal competition for power and influence.
—Literary Hub, 20 Mar. 2026
While Sophie has a pragmatic approach to life, she’s complemented by Benedict, a dreamy idealist.
—Kat Moon, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealist
Adjective
-
Throw out your romantic rulebook!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
One concerns a romantic dream come true that becomes a bit of a nightmare.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Ronan faces threats from those looking to eliminate dreamers like him.—
Caroline Killilea,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
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Kima is a dreamer with a passion for dance, but her dreams constantly clash with her critical mother’s expectations.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Conceived as a Halloween dress-up icon, Esmerelda exists almost entirely to thwart the idealistic new editor and his dreams of keeping journalism alive.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 June 2026
-
Nat Kitcharit plays Mek, an idealistic young lawyer whose faith in the system is systematically dismantled after he is framed for the murder of the son of Anan (Songsit Roongnophakunsri), a powerful police chief.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The trouble was that their official away shirts provided by Le Coq Sportif were made of a very heavy fabric, wildly impractical given the game kicked off at noon under the blazing Mexico City sun.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Those experiments were once widely dismissed as impractical, and Joby has faced similar skepticism.—
Randy Tucker,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Le Guin depicts an alternative society much like humanity, but with one notable, utopian contingent.—
Brianne Kane,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
-
For all their speed-to-market and trend obsessions, fashion companies struggle to update the systems and materials that go into their products, meaning churn reigns and improvements are consigned to that oft-uttered utopian destination known as ‘when there’s time’.—
Brooke Roberts-Islam,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealist. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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