optimal
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of optimal
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How does optimal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Something that's optimal is the best or most favorable for a given situation. Flowers? Check. Chocolates? Check. Dinner reservation? Check. Sounds like you have the optimal conditions for a successful anniversary date. There's an implication with optimal that certain restrictions exist in a given situation, so that what is optimal isn't necessarily the ideal scenario — it's the best one given those limitations. For example, optimal population levels for a species are not the highest levels — instead they're the best levels that a particular environment can sustain. Often the word optimum is used interchangeably with optimal.
Vocabulary lists containing optimal
What If It's Us
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The Martian
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Apple
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One peer-reviewed study estimated the socially optimal recycling rate—the point at which benefits, including environmental ones, most exceed costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
As Micron is in a hypergrowth phase, “it’s optimal to reinvest money in the business,” whether that be in production or research and development, said Andrew Rocco, a stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
It’s now probably closer to 6,000, far more than the 1,500 deemed optimal for wildlife management and tick control.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
"It's not at all optimal for these boats to set off so far away from their intended destination," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
It's a 40 amp-hour Ag-Zn battery with an optimal voltage of 1.5.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
