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
Relevance
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
-
Expecting a romantic interlude, he is horrified to find Jenny’s lifeless body artfully arranged on the bed.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
-
One of the island’s most iconic (and also inherently romantic) experiences is closing out the day in Mallory Square or aboard a catamaran cruise as the sky turns shades of pink and orange over the Gulf.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Noun
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While a Tudor home is full of character and embodies the whimsy dreamers are drawn to, Brutalist architecture's strength and purpose speak to those who value respect over charm.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 May 2026
-
Home to innovators, entrepreneurs, immigrants, workers, artists, and dreamers from every corner of the globe.—
Adam Miller,
Daily News,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
And how did an idealistic protest for protecting Black lives turn into a circle of silence surrounding the killing of a Black teenager?—
NPR,
NPR,
4 June 2026
-
The best of them are idiosyncratic and idealistic in the extreme.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Water is also a precious resource in space, making traditional washing impractical.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
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Physical storage, custody and transportation can make direct ownership impractical for many companies.—
Anthony Milewski,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is why the global village is not a utopian concept or ideal state for McLuhan.—
Brian A. Cogan,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 May 2026
-
There was little interest in either automation panic or utopian hype.—
C.M. Rubin,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idealist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealist. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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