IDEALISM Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

idealism

noun

Definition of idealism

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

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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 Where does idealism meet reality for the 2026 Miami Dolphins? — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026 To Winterman, Guidara’s idealism makes the everyday warmth of a competent restaurant staff seem spartan. — Adam Reiner, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Sep. 2026 Pre-eminently rational and practical…his worldly wisdom effectively disguise[s] a shy and splendid idealism which is the very essence of the man. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026 Much of this was done with an American mixture of political self-interest and idealism. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for idealism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for idealism

Noun

Color, embellishment and decorative details were everywhere, bringing a sense of joy and optimism to the season.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
So even though the seeds planted for future seasons don’t fill me with optimism for more Crystal Lake, my low expectations have already been exceeded once.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of optimism

Noun

But that drop in intensity quickly veered into carelessness, with the defence failing to assert its composure amid loose passes and hapless communication mix-ups.

— Chris McKenna, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Conflicts and tragedies are almost always the result of carelessness or accidents that spiral totally out of control.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of carelessness

Noun

The novel, published in 1988, foreshadowed the career to come by taking on, with disarming frankness, everything from child abuse to transracial adoption.

— Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Horgan, whose Catastrophe charted the ups and downs of a relationship with painful, hilarious honesty, applies the same frankness to the minor indignities of midlife.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of frankness

Noun

Lonnie is a Ferrell-ian blend of narcissism and good-natured childishness, but of the wishy-washiest type.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
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

Definition of childishness

Noun

In our age of optimization, few acknowledge the impracticality of these choices (besides former SNL star Chloe Fineman on the jeans front, that is).

— Sadie Kargman, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
Any Tile Tile countertops were another super common sight in late ’90s kitchens, but their busy look and impracticality destroyed their staying power, according to Cantley.

— Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of impracticality

Noun

Still, the sincerity matters, and so does the achievement of realizing something this strange with such conviction.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
After many fans online questioned the sincerity of Art of Play’s statement, Clarkson herself stepped back into the fray.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sincerity

Noun

A certain ingenuousness, an earnest impatience with the world’s many injustices, is a hallmark of Barbara Kingsolver’s novels.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
What was once a poignant effort to extend a state of ingenuousness is now tainted from the start.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Definition of ingenuousness

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“Idealism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idealism. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of idealism

noun

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