1
as in model
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she is the beau ideal of the dedicated medical professional
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2
as in ideal
the most perfect type or example
Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architectural creation, Falling Water, is widely regarded as the beau ideal of a building in harmony with its setting
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Recent Examples of beau ideal
The beau ideal of illiberal democracy is, of course, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, who outlined the term in a 2014 speech.
—
Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024
Fieg is its beau ideal.
—Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2022
At Délice & Sarrasin, a charming French bistro in the West Village, vegans can bide their time in style, enticing new recruits with the beau ideal of meatless haute cuisine.
—David Kortava, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2021
If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium.
—William Stadiem, Town & Country, 2 Aug. 2016
If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration.
—Michael Beller, SI.com, 23 May 2018
There was a time when the beau ideal was to drive your sports car to the track, paint numbers on it, go racing and then drive home.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 6 July 2017
Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024
Fieg is its beau ideal.
—Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2022
At Délice & Sarrasin, a charming French bistro in the West Village, vegans can bide their time in style, enticing new recruits with the beau ideal of meatless haute cuisine.
—David Kortava, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2021
If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium.
—William Stadiem, Town & Country, 2 Aug. 2016
If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration.
—Michael Beller, SI.com, 23 May 2018
There was a time when the beau ideal was to drive your sports car to the track, paint numbers on it, go racing and then drive home.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 6 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beau ideal
Noun
-
The two most visible competitors, Samsung and Apple, do have models that sit between the vanilla and the Pro handsets, but their difference is a larger screen with the same performance as the vanilla model.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Well, the set of the Valentino show was a red room where models waited inside bathroom stalls, which was reportedly inspired by the late great film director David Lynch, who worked with Naomi Watts on the 2001 film, Mulholland Drive.—
Aamina Inayat Khan,
StyleCaster,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At Trinity College, our Bantams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), embodying the true scholar-athlete ideal.—
Joanne Berger-Sweeney,
Hartford Courant,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Their commitment to bearing witness under extraordinary circumstances represents the highest ideals of our profession.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Then Sterling did some less effective things and got suspended anyway, so that mad idea was, at least, parked for the time being.—
Amy Lawrence,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
-
And then there was the Drip God, which was never my idea.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The brand’s timeless styles and classic, English aesthetic fit perfectly into the world of Hill House.—
Emily Mercer,
WWD,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Sip on the Pineapple Suite, a tropical nod to Season 1; The Lotus, a sophisticated tribute to Taormina’s allure; Coconut Paradise, a taste of Koh Samui’s dreamy shores; or The White Lotus Gimlet, an elevated take on a classic with coconut lotus syrup.—
Jenn Rice,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Monday, March 17 is the holiday to celebrate everything Irish, including Saint Patrick, who was once the patron saint of Ireland.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA TODAY,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The Chicago Fire, named in honor of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, once had a meaningful emblem featuring the cross of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Add a cherry to the center of each pineapple ring for party perfection.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Lou breaks apart the veneer of narrative perfection, in order to show where the power lies.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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For example, Zhou Guanyu's crash in Silverstone in 2023 could have done a lot more damage if there wasn't a catch fence there to stop the car.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
-
For example, north-facing slopes tend to warm slower than south-facing slopes.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
This year marks the first significant new manifestation of enterprise AI for healthcare.—
Simon Mainwaring,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
While Trump’s opponents may view that attitude as one more manifestation of his autocratic instincts, his complaint is grounded in legitimate concerns about the separation of powers that presidents of both parties have raised for many years.—
Jacob Sullum,
Orange County Register,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beau ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beau%20ideal. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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