An ideal is a principle, idea, or standard that seems very good and worth trying to achieve.
The party has drifted too far from its socialist ideals.
I tried to live up to my ideal of myself.
[Also + of]
Synonyms: principle, standard, ideology, morals More Synonyms of ideal
2. singular noun [oft poss NOUN]
Your idealof something is the person or thing that seems to you to be the best possible example of it.
...the Japanese ideal of beauty. [+ of]
Throughout his career she remained his feminine ideal.
Synonyms: epitome, standard, dream, pattern More Synonyms of ideal
3. adjective
The ideal person or thing for a particular task or purpose is the best possible person or thing for it.
She decided that I was the ideal person to take over the job.
I really love the area and see it as an ideal place to start my managerial career.
The conditions were ideal for racing.
Synonyms: perfect, best, model, classic More Synonyms of ideal
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
An ideal society or world is the best possible one that you can imagine.
We do not live in an ideal world.
In an ideal world, there would be no such thing as rubbish.
Their ideal society collapsed around them into the Terror and then into the Counterrevolution.
Synonyms: imaginary, impractical, Utopian, romantic More Synonyms of ideal
More Synonyms of ideal
ideal in British English
(aɪˈdɪəl)
noun
1.
a conception of something that is perfect, esp that which one seeks to attain
2.
a person or thing considered to represent perfection
he's her ideal
3.
something existing only as an idea
4.
a pattern or model, esp of ethical behaviour
adjective
5.
conforming to an ideal
6.
of, involving, or existing in the form of an idea
7. philosophy
a.
of or relating to a highly desirable and possible state of affairs
b.
of or relating to idealism
Derived forms
ideality (ˌaɪdɪˈælɪtɪ)
noun
ideally (iˈdeally)
adverb
idealness (iˈdealness)
noun
ideal in American English
(aɪˈdiəl; aɪˈdil; ˈaɪˌdiəl; ˈaɪˌdil)
adjective
1.
existing as an idea, model, or archetype; consisting of ideas
see also idea (sense 7)
2.
thought of as perfect or as a perfect model; exactly as one would wish; of a perfect kind
3.
of, or having the nature of, an idea or conception; identifying or illustrating an idea or conception; conceptual
4.
existing only in the mind as an image, fancy, or concept; visionary; imaginary
5. Philosophy
of idealism; idealistic
noun
6.
a conception of something in its most excellent or perfect form
7.
a person or thing regarded as fulfilling this conception; perfect model
8.
something that exists only in the mind
9.
a goal or principle, esp. one of a noble character
Word origin
Fr idéal < LL idealis, existing in idea, ideal < L idea: see idea
Examples of 'ideal' in a sentence
ideal
By coincidence we have an ideal opportunity to judge.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He combined socialist ideals with a deep practical experience of how most people lived and thought.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Working with schools and colleges also provides an ideal opportunity to help to shape the skills of a future generation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In an ideal world, a producer would give this piece a longer life.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Alas, this is not an ideal world.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The final trend reduces the shortlist to the ideal number - one!
The Sun (2016)
Its location in the Midlands near the motorway network makes it an ideal meeting place for people coming from different parts of the country.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The UK government’s spending review would be an ideal place to do that.
Computing (2010)
It nonetheless represents an ideal toward which to strive.
Tompkins, Jonathan Human Resource Management in Government (1995)
Your ideal love has a gift for interpreting dreams.
The Sun (2011)
Our aim is to reach our ideal form.
The Sun (2009)
Media representations are a reflection of a larger cultural emphasis on beauty and body ideals.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His socialism implied an ethical subscription to ideals of equality and liberty that was essentially democratic.
Roper, Jon Democracy and its Critics - Anglo-American democratic thought in the nineteenth century (1989)
Popular planning is not a uniquely socialist ideal.
Brindley,Tim & Rydin, Yvonne & Stoker, Gerry Remaking Planning: the politics of urban change in the Thatcher years (1989)
The nursery area is not ideal and many consider it to be too steep.
The Sun (2008)
Whether he will have found his ideal job remains to be seen.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In an ideal world one would hold back the line until she was actually crying.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This made him the ideal person to cut records from that era.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Stay calm when you see an ideal place to live and be sure to discuss prices.
The Sun (2006)
What is the ideal place and activity outside work?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Probably not the ideal dinner party guest.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We asked people about their ideal society.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It held out the romantic possibility of an ideal world.
Kennedy, Douglas In God's Country: travels in the Bible belt, USA. (1989)
She is an ideal role model for bigger women and is a realistic shape.
The Sun (2007)
Investing in property seemed the ideal thing.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This drop in grade looks an ideal opportunity for him.
The Sun (2015)
So what are we to make of this ideal landscape of love?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And here the political and the ethical ideals diverge.
Wood, David Philosophy at the Limit (1990)
These individuals who have considerable earning power would seem to represent the ideal target consumers for financial services companies.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is agriculture in an ideal form, where time seems to have stood still.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Perhaps this is partly because white patients are not chasing an African-American ideal of beauty.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
For a soft, feminine look ideal for wedding season, tone down the trend with pretty nudes.
The Sun (2013)
Quotations
The ideal has many names, and beauty is but one of themW. Somerset MaughamCakes and Ale
In other languages
ideal
British English: ideal /aɪˈdɪəl/ ADJECTIVE
The ideal person or thing for a particular purpose is the best one for it.
He is the ideal person for the job.
American English: ideal
Arabic: مِثَالِيٌّ
Brazilian Portuguese: ideal
Chinese: 理想的
Croatian: idealan
Czech: ideální
Danish: ideel
Dutch: ideaal
European Spanish: ideal
Finnish: ihanteellinen
French: idéal
German: ideal
Greek: ιδανικός
Italian: ideale
Japanese: 理想的な
Korean: 이상적인
Norwegian: ideell
Polish: idealny
European Portuguese: ideal
Romanian: ideal
Russian: идеальный
Latin American Spanish: ideal
Swedish: ideal
Thai: ดีเลิศ
Turkish: ideal
Ukrainian: ідеальний
Vietnamese: lý tưởng
British English: ideal NOUN
An ideal is a principle, idea, or standard that seems very good and worth trying to achieve.
The businessman stayed true to his ideals.
American English: ideal
Brazilian Portuguese: ideal
Chinese: 理想
European Spanish: ideal
French: idéal
German: Ideal
Italian: ideale ()
Japanese: 理念
Korean: 이상
European Portuguese: ideal
Latin American Spanish: ideal
All related terms of 'ideal'
ego ideal
an internal ideal of personal perfection that represents what one wants to be rather than what one ought to be and is derived from one's early relationship with one's parents
ideal gas
a hypothetical gas which obeys Boyle's law exactly at all temperatures and pressures, and which has internal energy that depends only upon the temperature. Measurements upon real gases are extrapolated to zero pressure to obtain results in agreement with theories relating to an ideal gas, esp in thermometry
ideal way
If you refer to a way of doing something, you are referring to how you can do it, for example the action you can take or the method you can use to achieve it.
beau idéal
perfect beauty or excellence
ideal place
A place is any point, building, area, town, or country.
ideal point
the point at infinity
ideal spot
You can refer to a particular place as a spot .
ideal venue
The venue for an event or activity is the place where it will happen .
ideal crystal
a crystal in which there are no defects or impurities
ideal element
any element added to a mathematical theory in order to eliminate special cases. The ideal element i = √–1 allows all algebraic equations to be solved and the point at infinity ( ideal point ) ensures that any two lines in projective geometry intersect
ideal mixture
An ideal mixture is a mixture in which the concentration of any part taken from it is the same as the average for the whole .
ideal weight
The weight of a person or thing is how heavy they are, measured in units such as kilograms , pounds , or tons .
ideal location
A location is the place where something happens or is situated.
ideal scenario
If you talk about a likely or possible scenario , you are talking about the way in which a situation may develop.
ideal situation
You use situation to refer generally to what is happening in a particular place at a particular time, or to refer to what is happening to you.
ideal solution
A solution to a problem or difficult situation is a way of dealing with it so that the difficulty is removed.
ideal combination
A combination of things is a mixture of them.
ideal conditions
The conditions under which something is done or happens are all the factors or circumstances which directly affect it.
ideal environment
Someone's environment is all the circumstances , people, things, and events around them that influence their life.
ideal gas law
an equation that equates the product of the pressure and the volume of one mole of a gas to the product of its thermodynamic temperature and the gas constant . The equation is exact for an ideal gas and is a good approximation for real gases at low pressures
ideal opportunity
An opportunity is a situation in which it is possible for you to do something that you want to do.
ideal preparation
Preparation is the process of getting something ready for use or for a particular purpose or making arrangements for something.
ideal gas equation
an equation that equates the product of the pressure and the volume of one mole of a gas to the product of its thermodynamic temperature and the gas constant . The equation is exact for an ideal gas and is a good approximation for real gases at low pressures
perfect gas
a hypothetical gas which obeys Boyle's law exactly at all temperatures and pressures, and which has internal energy that depends only upon the temperature. Measurements upon real gases are extrapolated to zero pressure to obtain results in agreement with theories relating to an ideal gas, esp in thermometry
in an ideal/a perfect world
You can use in an ideal world or in a perfect world when you are talking about things that you would like to happen , although you realize that they are not likely to happen.
gas equation
an equation that equates the product of the pressure and the volume of one mole of a gas to the product of its thermodynamic temperature and the gas constant . The equation is exact for an ideal gas and is a good approximation for real gases at low pressures
Chinese translation of 'ideal'
ideal
(aɪˈdɪəl)
adj
[person, world]理想的 (lǐxiǎng de)
n
(c) (= principle) 理想 (lǐxiǎng) (个(個), gè)
(s) (= epitome) 完美典范(範) (wánměi diǎnfàn)
1 (noun)
Definition
a principle or model of ethical behaviour
The party has drifted too far from its socialist ideals.
Synonyms
principle
He would never compromise his principles.
They had great trust in him as a man of principle.
standard
ideology
morals
conviction
Their religious convictions prevented them from taking up arms.
integrity
I have always regarded him as a man of integrity.
scruples
probity (formal)
a woman renowned for her moral probity
moral value
rectitude
people of the utmost rectitude
sense of duty
sense of honour
uprightness
a contest in which courage and uprightness win through
2 (noun)
Definition
a person or thing considered to represent perfection
I didn't fit the American ideal of a leading man.
Synonyms
epitome
standard
systems that were by later standards absurdly primitive
dream
pattern
the ideal pattern of a good society
perfection
last word
paragon
She was a paragon of neatness and efficiency.
He was not a paragon. He could never be perfect.
nonpareil
In league, if not international football, he remains the nonpareil.
standard of perfection
3 (noun)
Definition
a conception of something that is perfect
the ideal of beauty in those days
Synonyms
model
the Chinese model of economic reform
example
This piece is a perfect example of symphonic construction.
criterion
prototype
He has built a prototype of a machine called the wave rotor.
the prototype aircraft
paradigm
He was the paradigm of the self-made man.
archetype
He is the archetype of the successful businessman.
exemplar
They viewed their new building as an exemplar of taste.
1 (adjective)
Definition
most suitable
She decided I was the ideal person to take over this job.
Synonyms
perfect
They all spoke perfect English.
Nobody's perfect.
best
model
classic
This is a classic example of media hype.
supreme
ultimate
the ultimate luxury foods
archetypal
Cricket is the archetypal English game.
exemplary
He showed outstanding and exemplary courage in the face of danger.
consummate
He was a consummate liar and exaggerator.
optimal
quintessential
Everybody thinks of him as the quintessential New Yorker.
Opposites
flawed
,
deficient
,
imperfect
,
impaired
,
unsuitable
2 (adjective)
Definition
of, involving, or existing only as an idea
Their ideal society collapsed around them in revolution.
Synonyms
imaginary
Lots of children have imaginary friends.
impractical
He was difficult, eccentric and hopelessly impractical.
Utopian
romantic
Both figures have become the stuff of romantic legends.
fantastic
fabulous
The chimaera of myth is a fabulous beast made up of the parts of other animals.
poetic
visionary
the visionary worlds created by fantasy writers
fairy-tale
mythical
the mythical beast that had seven or more heads
unreal
There are few more unreal worlds than that of the celebrity.
fanciful
fanciful ideas about Martian life
unattainable
ivory-towered
imagal (psychoanalysis)
Opposites
real
,
ordinary
,
actual
,
mundane
,
factual
,
literal
3 (adjective)
Definition
of, involving, or existing only as an idea
an ideal economic world
Synonyms
hypothetical
a purely hypothetical question
academic
These arguments are purely academic.
intellectual
abstract
starting with a few abstract principles
theoretical
theoretical physics
speculative
He has written a speculative biography of Christopher Marlowe.
conceptual
metaphysical
metaphysical questions like personal responsibility for violence
transcendental
notional
the notional value of assets
Quotation
The ideal has many names, and beauty is but one of them [W. Somerset Maugham – Cakes and Ale]