idealist

American  

[ahy-dee-uh-list] / aɪˈdi ə lɪst /

noun

1. a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc.

   Synonyms:

   utopianist, visionary, reformer, perfectionist, optimist

   Antonyms:

   cynic, skeptic, pragmatist

2. a visionary or impractical person.

   Synonyms:

   stargazer, dreamer, romanticist, romantic

   Antonyms:

   materialist, realist

3. a person who represents things as they might or should be rather than as they are.

   My friend is an idealist, who somehow thinks that we always agree.

4. a writer or artist who treats subjects imaginatively.

5. a person who accepts the doctrines of philosophical idealism, as by representing things in an ideal form, or as they might or should be rather than as they are.

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adjective

1. of or relating to idealism or idealists; idealistic.

Pop Culture

—Idealist.org: a job-search website that connects people who want to work or volunteer their services with not-for-profit organizations.

Other Word Forms

• anti-idealist noun
• hyperidealist noun
• superidealist noun

Etymology

Origin of idealist

First recorded in 1695–1705; ideal + -ist

Explanation

An idealist is someone who envisions an ideal world rather than the real one. Some people consider idealists to be naive, impractical, and out of touch with reality. Idealists think that striving for perfection makes the world a better place. The main root of idealist is "ideal," which comes from the Latin word idea. As an idealist, you think everyone should act in the best interest of the group. Ideally, everyone would agree with you, but the unfortunate reality is that lots of people act solely in their own self-interest. Words that are related to idealist include "idealize," "idealism," and "ideally."

Example Sentences

As a football idealist, Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has specific beliefs about how the game should be played - and the best way to win.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

Amodei is an idealist who represents the historically liberal wing of Silicon Valley, concerned about unleashing AI without proper guardrails.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 21, 2025

I was always very much an idealist and was like, "Let's just try."

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2024

Call me an idealist, but I also don’t think all of these voters are simply engaged in progressive virtue signaling.

From Slate • Oct. 19, 2024

Slose was a frail, youngish person, with unusually light, bright eyes and a muted, intense voice; he looked like an idealist, a dedicated soul.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

• dreamer
• optimist
• visionary