Ideal

Quick meaning: Ideal is an adjective meaning Pertaining to ideas, or to a given idea.

Meaning

Pertaining to ideas, or to a given idea.

More Meanings

1. Existing only in the mind; conceptual, imaginary.
2. Optimal; being the best possibility.
3. Perfect, flawless, having no defects.
4. Teaching or relating to the doctrine of idealism.
5. (mathematics) Not actually present, but considered as present when limits at infinity are included.
6. A perfect standard of beauty, intellect etc., or a standard of excellence to aim at.
7. (algebra, ring theory) A two-sided ideal; a subset of a ring which is closed under both left and right multiplication by elements of the ring.

Example Sentences

the ideal theory or philosophy

The idea of ghosts is ridiculous in the extreme; and if you continue to be swayed by ideal terrors —

An ideal triangle in the hyperbolic disk is one bounded by three geodesics that meet precisely on the circle.

Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world.

Word Forms

• ideals

Synonyms for ideal

Depending on context, synonyms include best, optimal, optimum, conceptual, notional, imaginary.

Antonyms for ideal

Common opposites include filter.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include perfect, paragon, idealistic, utopian, abstract, apotheosis.

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