1
as in model
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she is the beau ideal of the dedicated medical professional
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2
as in ideal
the most perfect type or example
Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architectural creation, Falling Water, is widely regarded as the beau ideal of a building in harmony with its setting
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Recent Examples of beau ideal
The beau ideal of local graft was Hall’s boss, Fate Thomas, the Davidson County sheriff.
—
James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
For those who’ve forgotten, celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti was seen for a time as the Democratic beau ideal, a brawler who could get under Trump’s skin and take the fight to the president like few others could or would.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2025
The beau ideal of illiberal democracy is, of course, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, who outlined the term in a 2014 speech.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024
Fieg is its beau ideal.
—Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2022
At Délice & Sarrasin, a charming French bistro in the West Village, vegans can bide their time in style, enticing new recruits with the beau ideal of meatless haute cuisine.
—David Kortava, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2021
If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration.
—Michael Beller, SI.com, 23 May 2018
Conservatives like to imagine Reagan as the beau ideal of a president who faithfully adhered to their principles, but Trump is the president who has actually done it.
—Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, 23 Feb. 2018
If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium.
—William Stadiem, Town & Country, 2 Aug. 2016
James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
For those who’ve forgotten, celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti was seen for a time as the Democratic beau ideal, a brawler who could get under Trump’s skin and take the fight to the president like few others could or would.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2025
The beau ideal of illiberal democracy is, of course, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, who outlined the term in a 2014 speech.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024
Fieg is its beau ideal.
—Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2022
At Délice & Sarrasin, a charming French bistro in the West Village, vegans can bide their time in style, enticing new recruits with the beau ideal of meatless haute cuisine.
—David Kortava, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2021
If Hicks is the beau ideal in today’s MLB, then Miles Mikolas is a throwback to the Roosevelt administration.
—Michael Beller, SI.com, 23 May 2018
Conservatives like to imagine Reagan as the beau ideal of a president who faithfully adhered to their principles, but Trump is the president who has actually done it.
—Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, 23 Feb. 2018
If Teddy Roosevelt was the Harvard beau ideal at the turn of the last century, Mark Zuckerberg is the Harvard man to be in the new millennium.
—William Stadiem, Town & Country, 2 Aug. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beau ideal
Noun
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Some models feature replaceable blades, like the Milk Street Kitchen Precision peeler, which retails for $30, but by peeler standards that’s high.—
Jennifer Zyman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
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For four of these systems, the observations were sensitive enough to allow the astronomers to measure the masses of the component stars from first principles, independent of any guidance from theoretical models.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Catholic tradition has long sought to reform the world according to its ideals, even if that means working with people who have a very different understanding of the good.—
Elias Wachtel,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2026
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But their existence challenges the American ideal that suburban single-family houses are meant for homeowners, and their growth is now in jeopardy.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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By evening, disruptive Uranus enters your 9th House of Higher Learning and Beliefs, opening your mind to new perspectives, ideas, and possibilities.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Sneaky Jon Cooper The Bolts showed their normal forward lines in pregame warmups, but then had other ideas once the puck dropped Friday night.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His breakdown moment with Lane’s Willy, whose explosive temper is finally subdued by his son’s desperate need to be seen, draws out all the tragic heartbreak of a classic that has been liberated from the customary domestic trappings only to be made more intimate.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Who could forget that instant classic?—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Tucci, who thankfully gets a lot more screen time here, understands the assignment and plays the patron saint in a waistcoat with aplomb.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
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Anchoring it is the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, an excellent example of Romanesque architecture named for the city’s patron saint.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In a moment when AI and digital technology allows for on-demand perfection, there’s a creeping thrill to the possibility of flaws and dissonance.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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These days this pursuit of perfection takes the form of an arms race toward maximum hyperreal clarity, a mode of vision beyond the capabilities of the naked eye.—
Dennis Lim,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For example, a single high-quality crown or veneer at a private London clinic can cost £600 to £1,200 or more, whereas similar work in Turkey is often much lower.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Now, a group of doctors is using the example of Hurricane Helene to urge federal lawmakers to help improve access to substance use medications in severe weather emergencies.—
Andrew Jones,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This entry further defines community radio and then discusses its origins and its manifestations throughout the world.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
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In Cavarocchi’s practice, womanhood is seen as a manifestation of nature, with landscapes playing a role in healing trauma and reflecting cyclical rhythms of regeneration.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beau ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beau%20ideal. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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