ideally

adverb

ide·al·ly | \ ī-ˈdē-ə-lē

, -ˈdē(-ə)l-lē\

Definition of ideally

1 : in idea or imagination : mentally

2 : in relation to an exemplar

3a : conformably to or in respect to an ideal : perfectly

b : for best results ideally, the counselor should vary his techniques for each applicant— T. M. Martinez

c : in accordance with an ideal or typical standard : classically

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about ideally

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Examples of ideally in a Sentence

His skills made him ideally suited for the job. They were ideally suited to one another. The ski slope was situated ideally.

Recent Examples on the Web

But, ideally, scientists are a relatively rational bunch, and these were involved in a deliberative group activity. — John Timmer, Wired, "Scientists Avoid Bias When They Know They're Being Tested," 1 Sep. 2019 But, ideally, scientists are a relatively rational bunch, and these were involved in a deliberative group activity. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Scientists avoid gender bias when they know they’re being tested for bias," 27 Aug. 2019 The city has partnered with the 27th Street Business District Association to acquire the land and build a modern, indoor-outdoor skatepark that would, ideally, once again become a national destination. — Elliot Hughes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Greenfield is trying to get land to revive The Turf, a historic skatepark that Tony Hawk visited," 20 Aug. 2019 More up-to-date maps means more awareness of risk, and ideally, more homeowners purchasing insurance through the NFIP. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "How federal flood policy is, and isn’t, addressing climate change today," 29 July 2019 Together, the programs work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain and grow a captive-bred population and, ideally, to release as many as are ready. — Andrew Nicla, AZCentral.com, "Late hours, no pay, diminishing returns: Scouring the Arizona desert for black-footed ferrets," 10 July 2019 Our general strategy is to pair cheap eats (ideally, under $10 per person) with the day’s beach destination. — New York Times, "Nantucket for Cheapskates," 25 June 2019 But, ideally, only to a degree—because California has not aged gracefully. — The Economist, "Texafornia dreaming," 20 June 2019 Those folks are identified through contact-tracing, a process used to track disease transmission and, ideally, halt its spread. — Nichole Sobecki, National Geographic, "The world's second-biggest Ebola outbreak is still raging. Here's why.," 24 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ideally.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for ideally

ideally

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of ideally

: in an ideal way

—used to say what should happen or be done to produce the best results

See the full definition for ideally in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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ideally

Definition of ideally

Synonyms & Antonyms for ideally

Examples of ideally in a Sentence

First Known Use of ideally

English Language Learners Definition of ideally

ideally

Definition of ideally

Synonyms & Antonyms for ideally

Examples of ideally in a Sentence

First Known Use of ideally

English Language Learners Definition of ideally

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