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
Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 14 Dec. 2025
Some idealists set out to build a new community from scratch.
—Big Think, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Linda’s an idealist and Norma’s a realist.
—Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 14 Dec. 2025
Some idealists set out to build a new community from scratch.
—Big Think, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idealist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealist
Adjective
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The exercise and environment were romantic; the conversation was good and that continued for about three quarters of the walk.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
The exercise and environment were romantic; the conversation was good, and that continued for about three-quarters of the walk.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Noun
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My favorite long shot is ‘Wonder Man,’ Marvel’s love letter to Hollywood dreams and dreamers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
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Today, the American West isn’t drawing dreamers in search of wealth so much as the wealthy in search of a rougher dream.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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That 2% isn't just an idealistic goal, however.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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Stark, having been elected governor and already well along in his fateful descent from an idealistic man of the people to an entirely corrupt megalomaniac, is on the way to visit his childhood home.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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While Motorola has made progress overcoming some traditional shortcomings of foldables, the phone still feels rather impractical, while still being very cool.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
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However, Burry warned that directly betting against the rally through short selling is risky and impractical for most investors, particularly as bearish trades have become increasingly expensive.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Spanning generations marked by war, impossible love, political violence and tragedy, the second installment follows the town's transformation from utopian dream into ruin.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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Rescuing utopian idyll from dystopian reality, Koreeda determines that humanity is too fragile to forfeit its defining qualities to a mechanical species; that our only viable function in an artificial tomorrow is as the eternal caretakers of memory and imagination.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealist. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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