1
as in model
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation
she is the beau ideal of the dedicated medical professional
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of beau ideal
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
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
-
From open models to real-world applications, China has shown that constraints have not stopped it from gaining ground.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
William is asserting himself as the architect of a stricter, more disciplined royal model.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
My ideal is going into a turn with no hesitation at all, but that’s almost impossible to achieve 100% of the time, for anyone.—
Nick Remsen,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2026
-
This makes river travel ideal for the active senior with a less active travel partner or partners.—
Kathy Boardman,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In 1906, efforts to combine the desert landscapes led to a proposal to make New Mexico and Arizona into a single state, but Arizona voters overwhelmingly rejected this idea and continued to fight for their own statehood.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
It's also linked with ideas about women and their sexuality and consumption.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Movie buffs might recognize Schilthorn Piz-Gloria, the iconic mountain peak on the Jungfrau skyline that served as the filming location of the James Bond classic On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
-
From the kitchen comes an equally elegant menu of classics – think gorgeous local steaks, terrines and roasted Amish chicken plated with cockles – imagined with creativity and a deep understanding of European technique seen through a Tennessee lens.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Such stories became central to shaping Francis’ identity as the patron saint of animals and, later, of the natural world.—
Vanessa Corcoran,
The Conversation,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The Ceremony of the Sainte-Devote, which Princess Charlene attended alongside her husband Prince Albert II, commemorates Sainte Devote, who is the patron saint of the Principality of Monaco and France’s Mediterranean Corsica island.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The expectations of perfection forced upon these women helped facilitate their silence, which is something Wagner cited as reason for her years-long silence.—
Jasmine Wynn,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Consistency can provide calming visuals, but Wells advises steering clear of perfection.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Whole fruit, for example, behaves very differently than cookies or candy.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
In Major League Baseball, for example, a pitcher recovering from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow may be unable to load that arm for up to two months following surgery.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But on Monday, the French pharma firm reported that clinical trial results showed its experimental oral drug venglustat improved the neurological manifestations of what’s known as type 3 Gaucher disease, which can include poor muscle coordination and cognitive issues.—
Andrew Joseph,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Eventually there will be a physical manifestation of the Hall, a building somewhere with plaques and memorabilia and exhibits honoring the rich history of sports in Southern California, but that will be at the back end.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beau ideal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beau%20ideal. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
