1
as in ideas
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she's our ideal of the concerned, caring physician
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in perfections
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 goals
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 ideals
Harley-Davidson has embodied American ideals of freedom and individuality for over 123 years.
—
Ricardo Torres, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The idea is to reconnect Americans with the nation's founding ideals by bringing history to people.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
The patriotic ethos of Cold War–era public schools reinforced his sense of American ideals.
—Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
This generation helped shape modern romantic ideals.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Diddy attorney Alexandra Shapiro’s opening gambit invoked lofty ideals about justice.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Interestingly, these camps represent the opposite ends of the spectrum, ranging from more modest and traditional Japanese characteristics to wild expressionist designs that clash with the country’s collectivist ideals.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
In the final season of Handmaid’s, Lydia grew increasingly disillusioned by the hypocrisy of the ruling class of Commanders, who do not live up to Gilead’s religious ideals.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
Our ideals have been bastardized.
—William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Ricardo Torres, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The idea is to reconnect Americans with the nation's founding ideals by bringing history to people.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
The patriotic ethos of Cold War–era public schools reinforced his sense of American ideals.
—Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
This generation helped shape modern romantic ideals.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Diddy attorney Alexandra Shapiro’s opening gambit invoked lofty ideals about justice.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Interestingly, these camps represent the opposite ends of the spectrum, ranging from more modest and traditional Japanese characteristics to wild expressionist designs that clash with the country’s collectivist ideals.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
In the final season of Handmaid’s, Lydia grew increasingly disillusioned by the hypocrisy of the ruling class of Commanders, who do not live up to Gilead’s religious ideals.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
Our ideals have been bastardized.
—William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideals
Noun
-
Barnes and Imam had been trading ideas with a scholar named Andrew Willard Jones, whose work focussed on the model of Christendom found in, say, High Middle Ages France, where society was organized around its relationship with the Church.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
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The script throws a lot of ideas out there and, refreshingly, none of them is to be taken as dogma, especially not Julian’s comment about who has the right to judge art.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The collection is built around a fascination of the forest, its mystery, beauty, and the sublime forces of nature, its perfections and imperfections.—
Felicity Carter,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Wallstedt allowed only 12 goals over his last six starts.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Kuruc earned all-state honors last season as a sophomore, scoring 24 goals and setting a program record with 26 assists.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
DriveSavers retains a personal shopper in Shenzhen to track down elusive models.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The remarkable feat represents a big stride for China in its technological rivalry with the US, which has thus far boasted more sophisticated humanoid models.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When temperatures drop, turn to comfort-food classics (like breaded or smothered pork chops) and serve them with one of our favorite hearty mashed potato recipes.—
Wini Moranville,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Among the vast range of works are classics, such as Sir John Everett Millais’ Ophelia to Henry Moore’s moving sculpture.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Princess Elizabeth and her family toured the Sandringham Park grounds, which were being used for agricultural purposes to contribute to the war efforts, in August 1943.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But as soon as one flagellar motor reverses direction and starts rotating clockwise, the bundle falls apart; the reverse-twirling filament unravels the braid and puts the cell’s flagellar motors at cross-purposes, kicking the cell around.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are more examples of such calculations.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Bengals have a long history of finding productive defensive linemen in the middle rounds of the draft, with the 2010 draft adding Carlos Dunlap (Round 2) and Geno Atkins (Round 4) as the most notable examples.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These multiple manifestations of the same background body can take circular arrangements, or Einstein Rings, and can also appear as rarer Einstein Crosses.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Within the parameters of a game—where non-player characters essentially function as different disguises for, and manifestations of, a single narrative engine—such paranoia might not be unjustified.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideals. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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