ideally

American  

[ahy-dee-uh-lee] / aɪˈdi ə li /

adverb

1. in accordance with an ideal; perfectly.

2. in an ideal world; in principle; theoretically.

3. in idea, thought, or imagination.

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Etymology

Origin of ideally

First recorded in 1590–1600; ideal + -ly

Explanation

Use the adverb ideally to mean "perfectly" or "preferably." Ideally, you would always be ideally positioned to get a clear view of the parade going by — and not stuck behind a tall man in a top hat. You can start a sentence off with this word to convey the idea of "in a perfect world." For example, you might say, "Ideally, I'd be able to sleep in until at least ten every morning." The other way to use it is as a synonym for "perfectly," as in "My cat and I are ideally suited for each other" or "The vanilla ice cream complemented my apple pie."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ideally

The tourists' trio of fast-medium seamers were ideally suited to the conditions and they showed much greater control than last week.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Supply-side economists have long argued that, ideally, the tax system should tax consumption instead of work and investment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Step one foot forward and lower your body until both knees are bent, ideally at a 90-degree angle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

But wars inevitably cost those who fight in them; ideally, the commander in chief would start them only after carefully weighing those costs.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

And, ideally, it would have some buildings already in place, so scientists could move right in and get to work.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• appealingly
• attractively
• charmingly
• delightfully
• elegantly
• exquisitely
• gorgeously
• gracefully
• handsomely
• magnificently
• seductively
• splendidly
• sublimely
• superbly
• tastefully
• wonderfully