as in optimism
the attitude of a person who believes that it is possible to live according to very high standards of behavior and honesty
youthful idealism romantic idealism
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 idealism
Mclusky were always rooted more in bile than hormones, contempt and wit over quick-burn idealism.
—
Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
The mayor’s turnaround on the issue highlights the difficulty between the idealism of Mamdani’s campaign and the difficulties of governance.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
This time, the combination of Robby’s short fuse and delusional idealism has diminished returns.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
But what Trump has always hated isn’t conflict but sacrifice, the notion that American power should ever be constrained by a veneer of idealism or care for global opinion.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealism
Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
The mayor’s turnaround on the issue highlights the difficulty between the idealism of Mamdani’s campaign and the difficulties of governance.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
This time, the combination of Robby’s short fuse and delusional idealism has diminished returns.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
But what Trump has always hated isn’t conflict but sacrifice, the notion that American power should ever be constrained by a veneer of idealism or care for global opinion.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idealism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealism
Noun
-
The measure passed Wednesday stops short of a categorical ban that some have sought, but was still met with cautious optimism by traffic safety reformers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Stocks climbed globally and oil prices fell Wednesday on optimism that the US and Iran were nearing an end to their stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The company has built its identity around taking AI safety more seriously than its rivals, creating sky-high expectations for model security that jar with its apparent carelessness; the fact that Mythos was exposed through such a basic and predictable failure only underscores that.—
Robert Hart,
The Verge,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Most bark problems come from carelessness from mowing or weed-eating too close to the tree, stripping off the bark and allowing entry.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Just as the story mines humor from the collision of old-fashioned ways with a modern frankness, Paul’s score combines the appeal of jaunty golden-age sounds with a freshness that feels present day.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Her love for the city is palpable, imbued with her frankness, her fun, her queerness, and her history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The simpleness of the look really allowed the Crocs to stand out and make an impression.—
Tara Larson,
Footwear News,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The childishness of his expressions infantilized a genuinely vicious regime, painting it as more peevish than petrifying.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The actor relishes all aspects of Dahl’s childishness, and the humanity within the beast emerges in small moments.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On the ceiling, a suede Scalamandré wallcovering delivers the sensory impact of leather—without the impracticality.—
Kathryn O’Shea-Evans,
Robb Report,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Our current system denies new talent a livelihood, and the impracticality of such training, leads me to refrain from training them.—
Ted Hope,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Love on the Spectrum — gentle, warm, built on sincerity rather than spectacle — represents an evolution within the genre.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
But what is most immediately striking about the film is its straightforward sincerity.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Gilbert’s colloquial style, once a source of great pleasure, has tipped into new territory—an ingenuousness that blends guru and disciple, mother and child.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idealism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealism. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
