idealism

2 synonyms and 3 antonyms for idealism, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The tendency to hold high, sometimes unrealistic, principles or hopes about how things should be.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

high-mindedness noble-mindedness

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The tendency to hold high, sometimes unrealistic, principles or hopes about how things should be.

“Her idealism made her want to fix every problem in the world at once.”

high-mindedness noble-mindedness

Opposites

pragmatism

2. noun

In philosophy, the view that reality is fundamentally shaped by or dependent on the mind and its ideas.

“Berkeley's idealism argued that objects only exist as far as they are perceived.”

Opposites

materialism physicalism

Etymology

First recorded in English around 1796, built from "ideal" plus the suffix "-ism".

Full origin of idealism →

Frequently asked questions

What does “idealism” mean?

The word “idealism” means the tendency to hold high, sometimes unrealistic, principles or hopes about how things should be. In plain terms, believing strongly in high principles or a better world, sometimes without enough regard for practical limits; also a specific school of philosophy.

How do you pronounce “idealism”?

“Idealism” is pronounced uh-ih-DEER-lihzm (/ʌɪˈdɪəlɪz(ə)m/ in IPA).

How do you use “idealism” in a sentence?

Here is “idealism” used in a sentence: “Her idealism made her want to fix every problem in the world at once.”

What part of speech is “idealism”?

“Idealism” is a noun.

Where does the word “idealism” come from?

The word “idealism” dates back to around 1796. First recorded in English around 1796, built from "ideal" plus the suffix "-ism".

Is “idealism” a common word?

“Idealism” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “idealism” have?

“Idealism” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the tendency to hold high, sometimes unrealistic, principles or hopes about how things should be.

Related words

idealist idealistic idealistically materialism perfectionism physicalism pragmatism realism

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materialism pragmatism physicalism

Nearby words

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