ideally

[ ahy-dee-uh-lee ]

adverb

1. in accordance with an ideal; perfectly.
2. in an ideal world; in principle; theoretically.
3. in idea, thought, or imagination.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ideally¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; ideal + -ly

Example Sentences

Goalkeepers bloom later than outfield players - but Kelleher, who did not go in goal until he was 14, has not played nearly as much football as he ideally would have.

From BBC

Ideally, the researchers would have struck out completely — none of the 156 orders delivered, given the state’s ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, and certainly none delivered by the Postal Service.

From Los Angeles Times

We were expecting a similar ballot drop late night this year, too—though ideally a couple of hours earlier.

From Slate

“Ideally, journalism and public service are two sides of the same coin, right? It’s because you care about civic debates, you care about your country or community,” Avlon said.

From Slate

Stanford’s Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor at the university’s Sleep Medicine division, says ideally we would wake up naturally.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appealingly
• attractively
• charmingly
• delightfully
• elegantly
• exquisitely
• gorgeously
• gracefully
• handsomely
• magnificently
• seductively
• splendidly
• sublimely
• superbly
• tastefully
• wonderfully