idealistic

adjective

ide·​al·​is·​tic (ˌ)ī-ˌdē-(ə-)ˈli-stik 

ˌī-dē-

1

: of or relating to idealists or idealism

2

a

: believing in ideals

idealistic activists

b

: not realistic or practical

a naïve and idealistic dreamer

idealistically

(ˌ)ī-ˌdē-(ə-)ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌī-dē-

adverb

Synonyms of idealistic

• romantic
• impractical
• idealist
• utopian

Examples of idealistic in a Sentence

idealistic pacifists who thought that tyranny could be toppled by rational argument and mutual understanding

Recent Examples on the Web

What began as an idealistic goal—moving adult smokers off of cigarettes—turned into a new epidemic. —Max Cunningham, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025

Mackey stars as the title character, an idealistic lieutenant governor who gets the top job when her boss/mentor (Albert Brooks) heads to Washington for a cabinet position. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025

In classic Brooksian fashion, this simple succession plan becomes complicated by a potential scandal involving her social climber husband (Jack Lowden), the sudden return of her womanizing father (Woody Harrelson), and, well, Ella McCay’s own stubbornly idealistic personality. —Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2025

Advertisement Sidney’s father, an idealistic analyst, originally designed the Atwater Protocol as a last-resort defense system meant to save lives, not end them. —Jp Mangalindan, Time, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for idealistic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antagonistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• characteristic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic