Idealism
n.hopeful, thoughtfulformal
What it means
A commitment to worthy principles and to the possibility of making life better.
Reach for it when naming hope-led principles that continue to shape practical choices
Mara's idealism led her to pair an ambitious housing goal with patient local work.
Choose between these
6- everyday
confidence in a good outcome matters more than a moral program
not when Optimism may concern likelihood alone, while idealism carries principles.
- warm
the feeling of possibility is gentle and personal
not when Hopefulness lacks the commitment to an envisioned standard.
- professional
you are naming a desired achievement or future state
not when Aspiration can be self-directed and need not express social principles.
- professional
a clear picture of a better future guides a group
not when Vision stresses the destination, not devotion to ideals.
- formal
utopianism
the proposed perfection is sweeping and difficult to realize
not when Utopianism can sound dismissive when the principles are workable.
- literary
romanticism
emotion and an idealized view outweigh practical detail
not when Romanticism suggests sentiment or unreality that idealism does not require.
Said against
3- cynicism
- defeatism
- pragmatism
It naturally appears in
3- youthful idealism
Her youthful idealism matured into a durable public-service career.
- political idealism
Political idealism gave the campaign its moral direction.
- tempered idealism
Tempered idealism helped the coalition pursue change without ignoring constraints.
Where this comes from
- Merriam-Webster, noun sense 1a: the practice of forming ideals or living under their influence opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.