ideal

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /aɪˈdɪəl/ or /aɪˈdi:.əl/
• SAMPA: /aI"dI@l/ or /aI"di:.@l/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

Positive ideal

Comparative more ideal

Superlative most ideal

1. If something is ideal, it is as good as you can imagine.

   You can lose weight safely, and maintain your ideal weight forever.

   The sun was low in the sky and the conditions were ideal for taking photographs.

   It's not an ideal solution, but it's better than nothing.

   Metal roofs are ideal for catching rainwater.

2. If something is ideal, it is perfect or flawless; it does not have anything wrong with it.

Synonyms

• best
• perfect
• ultimate
• flawless

Antonyms

• flawed

Related words

• idea
• ideally
• idealist
• idealism
• idealise / idealize
• idealisation / idealization
• idealistic

Noun

Singular ideal

Plural ideals

1. (countable) An ideal is a perfect example of something.

   When he looked at her, he saw the feminine ideal.

Synonyms

• model
• value
• standard
• belief
• principle