optimal
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- optimality noun
- optimally adverb
- superoptimal adjective
Etymology
Origin of optimal
Compare meaning
How does optimal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Something that's optimal is the best or most favorable for a given situation. Flowers? Check. Chocolates? Check. Dinner reservation? Check. Sounds like you have the optimal conditions for a successful anniversary date. There's an implication with optimal that certain restrictions exist in a given situation, so that what is optimal isn't necessarily the ideal scenario — it's the best one given those limitations. For example, optimal population levels for a species are not the highest levels — instead they're the best levels that a particular environment can sustain. Often the word optimum is used interchangeably with optimal.
Vocabulary lists containing optimal
What If It's Us
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The Martian
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Apple
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We leave it to others to opine on whether the current split is optimal.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
For people without cardiovascular disease, LDL-C levels below 100 mg/dL are considered optimal.
From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026
But broad low-cost indexing remains the optimal strategy for investors, and staying invested in equities remains the best vehicle for earning generous risk-adjusted returns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
Bessent said: "The President wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort... Travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal."
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
“I see no better option. But there will be many monster attacks. I would feel better taking a third person. That’s the optimal number for a quest.”
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
