idealist

[ ahy-dee-uh-list ]

noun

1. a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc.

   Synonyms: utopianist, visionary, reformer, perfectionist, optimist

   Antonyms: cynic, skeptic, pragmatist

2. a visionary or impractical person.

   Synonyms: stargazer, dreamer, romanticist, romantic

   Antonyms: materialist, realist

3. a person who represents things as they might or should be rather than as they are:

   My friend is an idealist, who somehow thinks that we always agree.

4. a writer or artist who treats subjects imaginatively.
5. a person who accepts the doctrines of philosophical idealism, as by representing things in an ideal form, or as they might or should be rather than as they are.

adjective

1. of or relating to idealism or idealists; idealistic.

Other Words From

• anti-i·deal·ist noun adjective
• hyper·i·deal·ist noun
• super·i·deal·ist noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of idealist¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; ideal + -ist

Example Sentences

By contrast, to idealists, such as the so-called color fictionalists, everything is unreal — including color.

From Salon

The idealist in me wanted to believe Jill could be right, but the realist in me wasn’t convinced.

From Los Angeles Times

McCarthy and his many followers went after marginalized communities from liberal idealists to impoverished union activists to Jews and homosexuals.

From Salon

Whether you’re a pragmatist who wants working boats now or an idealist dedicated to climate action, to me this debate makes one thing clear.

From Seattle Times

They’re ideas people, glass half full types, idealists but also stubborn visionaries.

From New York Times

Related Words

• dreamer
• optimist
• visionary