ideally

adverb

ide·​al·​ly ī-ˈdē-ə-lē How to pronounce ideally (audio)
-ˈdē(-ə)l-lē
Synonyms of ideallynext
1
a
: conformably to or in respect to an ideal : perfectly
He would have liked to live in a world of ideally united couples, himself ideally united …—P. G. Wodehouse
b
: for best results
Ideally, the counselor should vary his techniques for each applicant …—T. M. Martinez
c
: in accordance with an ideal or typical standard : classically
2
: in relation to an exemplar
3
: in idea or imagination : mentally
… was afraid of the gallows. She was terrified of them ideally. Having never set eyes on that last argument of men's justice …—Joseph Conrad

Synonyms of ideally

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Examples of ideally in a Sentence

His skills made him ideally suited for the job. They were ideally suited to one another. The ski slope was situated ideally.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Brown noted that, ideally, a high-proof spirit will have more complex flavors from the barrels it's aged in as opposed to an overpowering alcohol flavor. — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Thomas said, ideally, the countries would also include Mexico in the arrangement and reach a trilateral deal, like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 Chen advises women in midlife to aim for 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium and 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily, ideally from food, with high doses of vitamin D advised for those with low levels. — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 27 Oct. 2026 View gallery - 4 images Exploring the underwater world requires robots that can move as naturally as fish and, ideally, blend in as much as possible. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ideally

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of ideally was in 1598

Rhymes for ideally

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Browse Nearby Words

idealless
ideally
idealness
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Cite this Entry

“Ideally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideally. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ideally

adverb
ide·​al·​ly ī-ˈdē-ə-lē How to pronounce ideally (audio)
-ˈdē(-ə)l-lē
1
: in agreement with an ideal : perfectly
ideally suited to the job
2
: for best results
ideally, each student should arrive early
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