Idealism
noun
The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially in a way that's unrealistic.
His idealism prompted him to decline the well-paying job that contradicted his values.
Often appears as...
- romantic idealism
- youthful idealism
noun
A theory in philosophy that reality is created by the mind and cannot exist outside it.
Plato's theory of forms is a classical example of idealism.
Often appears as...
- philosophical idealism
- plato's idealism
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A type of foreign policy that values spreading ideals like democracy and human rights around the world.
Wilson's approach to world war one demonstrated political idealism.
Often appears as...
- political idealism
- wilsonian idealism
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially in a way that's unrealistic.
His idealism prompted him to decline the well-paying job that contradicted his values.
Often appears as...
- romantic idealism
- youthful idealism
noun
A theory in philosophy that reality is created by the mind and cannot exist outside it.
Plato's theory of forms is a classical example of idealism.
Often appears as...
- philosophical idealism
- plato's idealism
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A type of foreign policy that values spreading ideals like democracy and human rights around the world.
Wilson's approach to world war one demonstrated political idealism.
Often appears as...
- political idealism
- wilsonian idealism
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Unrealistic Aspirations
Idealism often represents wishful thinking rather than practical solutions.
Her idealism led her to expect a perfect society.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
Idealism can have a positive sense, implying someone has high standards or ethics.
His idealism shines through his volunteer work.
Pro Tip 3/3Prone to Disappointment
Idealists may face disappointment when reality doesn't meet their ideals.
The harsh reality quickly dampened his idealism.
Pro Tip 1/3Unrealistic Aspirations
Idealism often represents wishful thinking rather than practical solutions.
Her idealism led her to expect a perfect society.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
Idealism can have a positive sense, implying someone has high standards or ethics.
His idealism shines through his volunteer work.
Pro Tip 3/3Prone to Disappointment
Idealists may face disappointment when reality doesn't meet their ideals.
The harsh reality quickly dampened his idealism.
Pro Tip 1/3Unrealistic Aspirations
Idealism often represents wishful thinking rather than practical solutions.
Her idealism led her to expect a perfect society.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
Idealism can have a positive sense, implying someone has high standards or ethics.
His idealism shines through his volunteer work.
Pro Tip 3/3Prone to Disappointment
Idealists may face disappointment when reality doesn't meet their ideals.
The harsh reality quickly dampened his idealism.
Compare with
enthusiasmhopefulidealizationoptimismperfectionpositiveromanticismutopianism
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Video examples
How doctors can help...
You can be your own boss, help the poor and make good money doing it. Medical folks, you wrote on your school application essays that you wanted to help those less fortunate. But then you had your idealism beaten out of you in training. Your creativity bred out of you.
Video examples
Gordon Brown on global...
the idealism can get moved away. I'm just wondering whether you can see that changing over time, whether you see in Britain that there are changing attitudes, and that people are actually more supportive of the kind of global ethic that you talk about.
Video examples
Nirvana in the Nineties...
on it I would they always want to read into it and before I was just using pieces of poetry and stuff that just would spew out of me a lot of times when I write lyrics this isn't the last second cuz I'm really lazy there was an idealism I think that
Video examples
Magical houses, made of...
And the floor that you walk on, can it affect the way that you walk? Can it change the footprint that you'll ultimately leave on the world? I remember being nine years old and feeling wonder, and possibility, and a little bit of idealism.
Video examples
My photographs bear...
I'd like to begin by talking about some of the ideas that motivated me to become a documentary photographer. I was a student in the '60s, a time of social upheaval and questioning, and on a personal level, an awakening sense of idealism.
Video examples
Why should you read "Don...
with one as the grounded realist to the other’s idealism. Their lively, evolving friendship is often credited as the original hero and sidekick duo, inspiring centuries of fictional partnerships. Don Quixote was a huge success.
Video examples
How a geospatial nervous...
to build up this organization and stay focused on our purpose. So my suggestion is, find something that you really love, that you really can contribute to, that really supports your idealism,
Video examples
Bono: Action for Africa
What I would like to see is idealism decoupled from all constraints. Political, economic, psychological, whatever. The geopolitical world has got a lot to learn from the digital world.
Video examples
Carne Ross: An...
idealism in all of that wreckage. And perhaps also, there's a lesson about how to deal with our screwed-up, fragmenting and dangerous world of the 21st century.
Video examples
Chade-Meng Tan: Everyday...
born of idealism. It's a company that thrives on idealism. And maybe because of that, compassion is organic and widespread company-wide.
Video examples
How doctors can help...
You can be your own boss, help the poor and make good money doing it. Medical folks, you wrote on your school application essays that you wanted to help those less fortunate. But then you had your idealism beaten out of you in training. Your creativity bred out of you.
Video examples
Gordon Brown on global...
the idealism can get moved away. I'm just wondering whether you can see that changing over time, whether you see in Britain that there are changing attitudes, and that people are actually more supportive of the kind of global ethic that you talk about.
Video examples
Nirvana in the Nineties...
on it I would they always want to read into it and before I was just using pieces of poetry and stuff that just would spew out of me a lot of times when I write lyrics this isn't the last second cuz I'm really lazy there was an idealism I think that
Video examples
Magical houses, made of...
And the floor that you walk on, can it affect the way that you walk? Can it change the footprint that you'll ultimately leave on the world? I remember being nine years old and feeling wonder, and possibility, and a little bit of idealism.
Video examples
My photographs bear...
I'd like to begin by talking about some of the ideas that motivated me to become a documentary photographer. I was a student in the '60s, a time of social upheaval and questioning, and on a personal level, an awakening sense of idealism.
Video examples
Why should you read "Don...
with one as the grounded realist to the other’s idealism. Their lively, evolving friendship is often credited as the original hero and sidekick duo, inspiring centuries of fictional partnerships. Don Quixote was a huge success.
Video examples
How a geospatial nervous...
to build up this organization and stay focused on our purpose. So my suggestion is, find something that you really love, that you really can contribute to, that really supports your idealism,
Video examples
Bono: Action for Africa
What I would like to see is idealism decoupled from all constraints. Political, economic, psychological, whatever. The geopolitical world has got a lot to learn from the digital world.
Video examples
Carne Ross: An...
idealism in all of that wreckage. And perhaps also, there's a lesson about how to deal with our screwed-up, fragmenting and dangerous world of the 21st century.
Video examples
Chade-Meng Tan: Everyday...
born of idealism. It's a company that thrives on idealism. And maybe because of that, compassion is organic and widespread company-wide.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
James McGreevey
American Politician
When I first ran for public office, it was with the passion and idealism of a young man who believed that government could help make our lives better, that public service was a calling and that citizenship demanded responsibilities. There was a greater good.
Quote examples
Kailash Satyarthi
Indian Activist
The power of youth is the common wealth for the entire world. The faces of young people are the faces of our past, our present and our future. No segment in the society can match with the power, idealism, enthusiasm and courage of the young people.
Quote examples
Jeff Perry
American Actor
Most actors will tell you this - I don't really know how to connect, empathize with, or make worthy of any revelation a character that doesn't have love in there somewhere, that doesn't have an idealism or an empathy in there somewhere.
Quote examples
Orhan Pamuk
Novelist
Idealism, unrealistic idealism, is always contrasted with the reality of the people, of the man in the street. The details of daily life are always more convincing than the political fantasies of the earlier generations.
Quote examples
Thomas Sowell
American Economist
Wishful thinking is not idealism. It is self-indulgence at best and self-exaltation at worst. In either case, it is usually at the expense of others. In other words, it is the opposite of idealism.
Quote examples
Richard Stallman
Scientist
If you want to accomplish something in the world, idealism is not enough - you need to choose a method that works to achieve the goal.
Quote examples
Rod Blagojevich
American Politician
Whatever happened to a sense of idealism and embracing an idea that will help people and, in this case, children?
Quote examples
Peter Hook
English Musician
What I've learned is that life is a balance between idealism and realism.
Quote examples
Pearl S. Buck
American Novelist
Life without idealism is empty indeed. We just hope or starve to death.
Quote examples
Stephen Kinzer
American Author
It is never wise to discourage youthful idealism.
Quote examples
James McGreevey
American Politician
When I first ran for public office, it was with the passion and idealism of a young man who believed that government could help make our lives better, that public service was a calling and that citizenship demanded responsibilities. There was a greater good.
Quote examples
Kailash Satyarthi
Indian Activist
The power of youth is the common wealth for the entire world. The faces of young people are the faces of our past, our present and our future. No segment in the society can match with the power, idealism, enthusiasm and courage of the young people.
Quote examples
Jeff Perry
American Actor
Most actors will tell you this - I don't really know how to connect, empathize with, or make worthy of any revelation a character that doesn't have love in there somewhere, that doesn't have an idealism or an empathy in there somewhere.
Quote examples
Orhan Pamuk
Novelist
Idealism, unrealistic idealism, is always contrasted with the reality of the people, of the man in the street. The details of daily life are always more convincing than the political fantasies of the earlier generations.
Quote examples
Thomas Sowell
American Economist
Wishful thinking is not idealism. It is self-indulgence at best and self-exaltation at worst. In either case, it is usually at the expense of others. In other words, it is the opposite of idealism.
Quote examples
Richard Stallman
Scientist
If you want to accomplish something in the world, idealism is not enough - you need to choose a method that works to achieve the goal.
Quote examples
Rod Blagojevich
American Politician
Whatever happened to a sense of idealism and embracing an idea that will help people and, in this case, children?
Quote examples
Peter Hook
English Musician
What I've learned is that life is a balance between idealism and realism.
Quote examples
Pearl S. Buck
American Novelist
Life without idealism is empty indeed. We just hope or starve to death.
Quote examples
Stephen Kinzer
American Author
It is never wise to discourage youthful idealism.
Example 1 of 10
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