Meaning & use
idealism
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Meanings
noununcountable
The belief in or pursuit of high principles, often without considering practical limits.
Grammar: Uncountable; used with a singular verb.
Patterns
- idealism of someone
- youthful idealism
Her idealism inspired her to volunteer abroad.
The plan was full of idealism but lacked funding.
He clung to his idealism despite many setbacks.
noununcountabletechnical
In philosophy, the theory that reality is fundamentally mental or dependent on ideas.
Grammar: Uncountable; often used with 'German' or 'transcendental'.
Patterns
- German idealism
- transcendental idealism
Kant's transcendental idealism changed philosophy.
The course covers idealism and materialism.
Idealism argues that the material world is shaped by mind.
Common combinations
- youthful idealism
- His youthful idealism faded with experience.
- political idealism
- Political idealism often clashes with reality.
- a sense of idealism
- She brought a sense of idealism to the team.
- German idealism
- German idealism influenced many thinkers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- romanticism
- Suggests an emotional, imaginative outlook rather than a principled one.
- utopianism
- Focuses on imagining a perfect society, often unrealistically.
Opposites
Word family
- idealist noun
- A person who holds idealistic beliefs.
- idealistic adjective
- Having or showing idealism.
- ideal noun
- A principle or standard of perfection.
Commonly confused: idealism or realism?
idealism vs realism
The opposite: accepting things as they are, not as one wishes them to be.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'idealism' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Idealism involves noble principles; only option 0 reflects that. The others misuse the word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “idealism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.