idealist
/ai'diəlist/
Definition
- Noun:
- A person guided by ideals: An idealist is someone who is guided more by ideals, principles, or a vision of perfection than by practical considerations or realities.
- A person who believes in idealism: In philosophy, an idealist is someone who believes that ideas, thoughts, or the mind constitute the fundamental reality, or that reality is shaped by the mind.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- She was a true idealist who believed in world peace.
- The young politician was criticized by opponents for being an unrealistic idealist.
- As a philosophical idealist, he argued that all we know are our own perceptions.
Advanced Usage
- "Starving artist" stereotype: Often used to describe an artist who is an idealist, prioritizing creative vision over commercial success.
- He lived as a starving artist, an idealist who painted only for the sake of art.
- In contrast to "pragmatist" or "realist": Used to highlight a character trait focused on how things be versus how they .
- The debate pitted the idealist, who wanted a perfect solution, against the pragmatist, who wanted a workable one.
Variants and Related Words
- Idealism (n): The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially unrealistically. Also, the philosophical theory.
- His idealism was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.
- Idealistic (adj): Characterized by idealism; unrealistically aiming for perfection.
- She had an idealistic view of human nature.
- Idealize (v): To regard or represent as perfect or better than in reality.
- People often idealize their childhood.
Synonyms
- Dreamer: A person who dreams or is impractical.
- Visionary: A person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like (can be positive).
- Utopian: (Often disparaging) A person who imagines or aims for a perfect society.
Antonyms
- Realist: A person who accepts and deals with situations as they really are.
- Pragmatist: A person who is practical and focused on achieving results.
- Cynic: A person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "With one's head in the clouds": To be unrealistic or dreamy, not practical. This idiom often describes an idealist.
- He's a lovely person, but he has his head in the clouds when it comes to business.
Noun
-
someone guided more by ideals than by practical considerations
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