# ideal

/aɪˈdiɫ/ (US) · /aɪdˈiəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ideal
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. perfect or best possible

adjective · CEFR A2

the best possible person, thing, or situation for a particular purpose.

For teachers: representing the best possible version of something; optimal for a specific requirement.

- The warm, sunny weather was ideal for a day at the beach.
- The quiet suburban location proved ideal for the research facility, offering both proximity to the city and a distraction-free environment.

### 2. existing only as an idea

adjective · CEFR B2

existing only in your mind or as an idea, rather than in the real world.

For teachers: existing as a mental conception or abstract model rather than in physical reality.

- In an ideal world, nobody would ever be hungry or lonely.
- The physicist described an ideal gas to simplify the initial calculations, acknowledging that real-world variables would be introduced later.

### 3. a high standard

noun · CEFR B1

a principle or a way of behaving that is of the highest standard.

For teachers: a standard of perfection or excellence that is used as a model or goal.

- The young doctor worked hard to live up to her high ideals.
- The political movement was founded on the ideals of equality and justice, though its leaders often struggled with the practicalities of governance.

### 4. mathematical subset

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a special group of numbers or elements within a larger mathematical system.

For teachers: a subring with specific closure properties under multiplication by any element of the parent ring.

- The professor explained how to find the principal ideal of the ring.
- The researcher demonstrated that every ideal in a Noetherian ring is finitely generated, a fundamental result in commutative algebra.

Usage: In abstract algebra, the term is usually used with a qualifying adjective like 'prime' or 'maximal'.

## Examples

- The company works hard to live up to its environmental ideals.
- The young lawyer entered the profession with high ideals about justice and equality for every citizen.
- While the political party was founded on the ideals of shared prosperity, the practical realities of governing forced them to make several difficult compromises.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.