idealist

/aɪˈdiːəlɪst/ (bre, ipa) · [aɪdˈilɪst] /aɪˈdiːəlɪst/ (ame, ipa) · [aɪdˈilɪst] /ī-ˈdē-(ə-)list ˈī-(ˌ)dē-/ (ame, mw)

idealist — noun

  • idealistsingular
  • idealistsplural

1. a person whose actions and hopes are shaped by strong beliefs about how the worl

1.名詞B2
釋義

a person whose actions and hopes are shaped by strong beliefs about how the world should be, rather than by what is practical or likely

例句

Luca is an idealist who believes every child deserves free education.

copula: [someone] is an idealist

Bao's friends call her an idealist for thinking world peace is possible.

同義詞
  • dreamer

    more informal, suggests being disconnected from reality

  • visionary

    more positive, implies creative foresight and drive to achieve change

  • romantic

    focuses on emotional idealism, especially about love, art, or nature

  • utopian

    specifically about designing a perfect society, often implies impossibility

反義詞
  • realist

    focuses on what is practical and achievable

  • pragmatist

    emphasises practical results over principles

  • cynic

    believes people act only from self-interest, not ideals

用法筆記

Sometimes placed before a noun to mean 'idealistic' (e.g. 'an idealist vision'), but this usage is rare. Learners should use the adjective 'idealistic' instead.

常見錯誤

❌She is very idealist about politics.
✅She is very idealistic about politics.
💡'idealist' is a noun; use the adjective 'idealistic' to describe a person's outlook.

2. a thinker who follows the philosophical view that reality is fundamentally menta

2.名詞C1
釋義

a thinker who follows the philosophical view that reality is fundamentally mental, existing only as ideas perceived by the mind

例句

Professor Nicholas assigned the idealist writings of George Berkeley this semester.

collocation: idealist writings

Sayaka was drawn to the idealist argument that reality exists only in the mind.

collocation: idealist argument

反義詞
  • materialist

    believes only physical matter is real; the main opposing philosophical position

用法筆記

This is a technical term used mainly in academic philosophy. Distinguish from sense 1 (GUIDED BY IDEALS), which describes a personality type rather than a philosophical stance.