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ideal

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun ideal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ideal are example, exemplar, model, and pattern. While all these words mean "someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation," ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception.

never found a job that matched his ideal

When can example be used instead of ideal?

The synonyms example and ideal are sometimes interchangeable, but example applies to a person to be imitated or in some contexts on no account to be imitated but to be regarded as a warning.

children tend to follow the example of their parents

When might exemplar be a better fit than ideal?

The words exemplar and ideal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification.

cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage

In what contexts can model take the place of ideal?

The words model and ideal can be used in similar contexts, but model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation.

a decor that is a model of good taste

When could pattern be used to replace ideal?

Although the words pattern and ideal have much in common, pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype.

American industry set a pattern for others to follow

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ideal
Adjective
The advantages of living simply and cheaply At first blush, Brewer wouldn’t seem like the ideal fit in Oman. Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025 Buxton did not get an ideal read on France’s fly ball but boasts the sort of premier speed to mask the mistake. Chandler Rome, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
The annual honor recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025 But the show is also one of two new documentaries that explore how the creator economy encouraged family vloggers to perform an ideal of perfect American motherhood, sometimes to the detriment of their children’s well-being. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ideal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideal
Adjective
  • Legacy power grids, water systems and emergency response networks are no longer theoretical.
    Marty Sprinzen, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The Dutch theoretical physicist, now a professor emeritus at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, has spent much of the past half-century reshaping our understanding of the fundamental forces that knit together reality.
    Lee Billings, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • James Bond was already perfect, why changing the roots of Ian Fleming[‘s] iconic character ?
    Elizabeth Stanton, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • For a club trying to re-establish winning credibility, winning charisma after a difficult few years, Paratici could be perfect.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Thankfully, the other two judges have an idea how to properly judge a mixed martial arts fight and the right man got the win.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Dolly Parton’s cookbook, Good Lookin’ Cookin’, is filled with a year's worth of classic recipes and menu ideas.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • All of them are classics that result in a total five points.
    Marilú Almaguer, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
  • No look has to be permanent, and with 2025’s most popular looks leaning into avant-garde classics, taking your hair to a new height is this season’s most palpable trends.
    India Espy-Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • More than this perhaps, as Sara Halpern, visiting assistant professor of history at St. Olaf college, wrote to me, the attack had a broader purpose.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Gemini Shuhua Xiong Mercury Retrograde Ends in Pisces on April 7: Rewrite the narrative around purpose.
    Colin Bedell, Them., 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This relic of constitutional law, which the Supreme Court hasn’t taken seriously since its quiet death in the New Deal era, is more mythical than historical—holding, more or less, that Congress cannot delegate its lawmaking power to another branch of government.
    Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This name originates from a Greek myth. Eunice: Another historic Greek name, the mythical Eunice was the sea-nymph daughter of Nereus and Doris.
    Lydia Wang, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Not that The Last of Us has ever been, for all the breathless praise it’s received, a flawless work of art.
    Judy Berman, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Performance management should be designed to inspire the best possible performance from employees, facilitate flawless execution by managers and develop an organization with a strong performance culture.
    Dr. Lisa Toppin, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Cat trees price Cat trees vary in price from about $20 to $300 or more for larger, more complex models.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Romeo is currently dating model Kim Turnbull, who Brooklyn reportedly dated in 2016.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideal. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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