Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

idealism

/ʌɪˈdɪəlɪz(ə)m/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.10 in modern English

Syllables
ide-al-ism
IPA
/ʌɪˈdɪəlɪz(ə)m/
11
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable or at odds with practical life.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The practice or habit of giving or attributing ideal form or character to things; treatment of things in art or literature according to ideal standards or patterns;—opposed to realism.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An approach to philosophical enquiry, which asserts that direct and immediate knowledge can only be had of ideas or mental pictures.

Countable; Uncountable

Etymology

First attested 1796, from ideal + -ism.

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

idealisms (plural)

Derived Forms

overidealism unidealism

Phrases

absolute idealism epistemological idealism metaphysical idealism transcendental idealism

Frequently Paired Words

idealist idealistic idealistically perfectionism realism pragmatism materialism physicalism

Synonyms

philosophical idealism high-mindedness noble-mindedness

Antonyms

materialism

Rhymes With

surrealism

Questions

How do you pronounce idealism?
The recorded pronunciation is /ʌɪˈdɪəlɪz(ə)m/.
What does idealism mean?
The property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable or at odds with practical life.
Where does idealism come from?
First attested 1796, from ideal + -ism.

How to pronounce idealism

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “idealism”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ʌɪˈdɪəlɪz(ə)m/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “idealism”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “idealism” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.