1. a person who believes in high principles and works toward noble goals, often in an impractical way
2. a person who believes that reality is fundamentally mental or spiritual rather than material
Usage: philosophy

Examples

• She’s an idealist who believes we can end world hunger.
• The young idealist refused to compromise his principles.
• Critics called him an impractical idealist with unrealistic goals.
• As an idealist, she always sees the best in people.
• The philosopher was an idealist who argued that mind creates reality.
• His idealist approach to politics often clashed with practical concerns.