ideally
adverb
ide·al·ly
ī-ˈdē-ə-lē 
-ˈdē(-ə)l-lē
1
b
: for best results
Ideally, the counselor should vary his techniques for each applicant …—
T. M. Martinez
T. M. Martinez
c
: in accordance with an ideal or typical standard : classically
2
: in relation to an exemplar
3
: in idea or imagination : mentally
… was afraid of the gallows. She was terrified of them ideally. Having never set eyes on that last argument of men's justice …—Joseph Conrad
Joseph ConradExamples 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
The fraud continues and will not end until Walz is back in a fourth-grade classroom, ideally in another state.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Rather, this is a night to let one’s freak flag fly—yet ideally in a very polished, on-theme manner.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 May 2026
But the results do make the case that AI models need to be tested in a rigorous fashion, ideally through forward-looking trials that can give more certainty about how the technology ultimately impacts clinical practice.
—Will Stone, NPR, 30 Apr. 2026
An expert in this sense is someone who has been immersed in the topic for years, knows how to evaluate the relevant studies, and, ideally, has done research on it.
—Jeffrey A. Lee, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideally
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Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Rather, this is a night to let one’s freak flag fly—yet ideally in a very polished, on-theme manner.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 May 2026
But the results do make the case that AI models need to be tested in a rigorous fashion, ideally through forward-looking trials that can give more certainty about how the technology ultimately impacts clinical practice.
—Will Stone, NPR, 30 Apr. 2026
An expert in this sense is someone who has been immersed in the topic for years, knows how to evaluate the relevant studies, and, ideally, has done research on it.
—Jeffrey A. Lee, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideally
Cite this Entry
“Ideally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideally. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ideally
adverb
ide·al·ly
ī-ˈdē-ə-lē
-ˈdē(-ə)l-lē
1
: in agreement with an ideal : perfectly
ideally suited to the job
2
: for best results
ideally, each student should arrive early
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