Idea vs. Ideal: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
An "Idea" is a thought, concept, or suggestion, while an "Ideal" refers to a perfect standard or an example of excellence.
Key Differences
An idea encompasses any thought, concept, plan, or mental impression. It is the basic unit of human cognition and imagination. In contrast, an ideal represents a standard of perfection or excellence, often used as a model to aspire to.
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Ideas are the starting points for creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. They can be abstract or concrete, simple or complex. Ideals, however, are often principles or values that are esteemed as perfect and pursued as goals or benchmarks.
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Ideas can lead to tangible outcomes or remain as theories, and they vary greatly in their feasibility and practicality. Ideals, conversely, serve as guiding principles or goals and often embody an optimal state or condition.
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The formulation of an idea is often the first step in a process or project and can be subject to change and adaptation. An ideal, however, is typically more static, representing a consistent benchmark or aspiration.
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In summary, while ideas are foundational elements of thought and creativity, used for problem-solving and innovation, ideals are often aspirational targets, representing the highest standards or values in various contexts.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A thought, concept, or suggestion
A perfect standard or example of excellence
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Nature
Can be abstract or concrete, variable
Represents a consistent standard or value
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Purpose
Starting point for creativity, problem-solving
Serves as a guiding principle or goal
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Flexibility
Subject to change and adaptation
Typically more static, a benchmark to aspire to
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Usage
Used for innovation and forming plans
Used as an aspirational target or model
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Idea and Ideal Definitions
Idea
A mental impression or concept.
The idea of space travel fascinates me.
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Ideal
A standard of perfection or excellence.
Her work ethic is the ideal for all employees.
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Ideal
Representing the best of its kind.
The ideal solution would be cost-effective and efficient.
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Idea
A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.
He had an idea to improve the software's efficiency.
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Ideal
A conception of something in its absolute perfection
The ideal of national unity.
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Idea
A plan or intention.
They developed an idea for a new marketing strategy.
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Ideal
One that is regarded as a standard or model of perfection or excellence
The restaurant is considered the ideal in fine dining.
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Ideal
An ultimate or worthy object of endeavor; a goal
"those who regarded even a rhetorical commitment to the ideal of disarmament as irresponsibly utopian" (James Carroll).
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Idea
Something, such as a thought or conception, that is the product of mental activity.
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Ideal
Conforming to a standard of perfection or excellence; perfect or highly satisfactory
An ideal work environment.
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Ideal
Existing only in the mind; imaginary
An ideal world where everything works out fine.
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Idea
A plan, purpose, or goal
She started school with the idea of becoming a doctor.
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Ideal
Lacking practicality or the possibility of realization
An ideal notion of how businesses are run.
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Idea
The gist or significance
The idea of the article is that investing in green technology can save you money in the long run.
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Ideal
Existing as an archetype or pattern, especially as a Platonic idea or perception
The ideal forms.
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Idea
A sense that something can happen; a notion or expectation
They have this idea that we can just drop what we're doing and go to the park.
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Idea
In the philosophy of Plato, a non-physical form or archetype to which beings in phenomenal reality correspond only as imperfect replicas.
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Idea
In the philosophy of Kant, a concept of reason that is transcendent but nonempirical.
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Idea
In the philosophy of Hegel, absolute truth; the complete and ultimate product of reason.
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Ideal
Teaching or relating to the doctrine of idealism.
The ideal theory or philosophy
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Idea
(philosophy) An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as imperfect approximations; pure essence, as opposed to actual examples.
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Ideal
(mathematics) Not actually present, but considered as present when limits at infinity are included.
Ideal point
An ideal triangle in the hyperbolic disk is one bounded by three geodesics that meet precisely on the circle.
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Idea
(obsolete) The conception of someone or something as representing a perfect example; an ideal.
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Ideal
A perfect standard of beauty, intellect etc., or a standard of excellence to aim at.
Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny - Carl Schurz
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Idea
(obsolete) The form or shape of something; a quintessential aspect or characteristic.
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Ideal
A subring closed under multiplication by its containing ring.
Let be the ring of integers and let be its ideal of even integers. Then the quotient ring is a Boolean ring.
The product of two ideals and is an ideal which is a subset of the intersection of and . This should help to understand why maximal ideals are prime ideals. Likewise, the union of and is a subset of .
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Idea
An image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory.
The mere idea of you is enough to excite me.
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Ideal
A non-empty lower set (of a partially ordered set) which is closed under binary suprema (a.k.a. joins).
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Idea
More generally, any result of mental activity; a thought, a notion; a way of thinking.
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Ideal
(set theory) A collection of sets, considered small or negligible, such that every subset of each member and the union of any two members are also members of the collection.
Formally, an ideal of a given set is a nonempty subset of the powerset such that: , and .
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Idea
A conception in the mind of something to be done; a plan for doing something, an intention.
I have an idea of how we might escape.
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Ideal
A Lie subalgebra (subspace that is closed under the Lie bracket) 𝖍 of a given Lie algebra 𝖌 such that the Lie bracket [𝖌,𝖍] is a subset of 𝖍.
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Ideal
(algebra) A subsemigroup with the property that if any semigroup element outside of it is added to any one of its members, the result must lie outside of it.
The set of natural numbers with multiplication as the monoid operation (instead of addition) has multiplicative ideals, such as, for example, the set {1, 3, 9, 27, 81, ...}. If any member of it is multiplied by a number which is not a power of 3 then the result will not be a power of three.
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Idea
A vague or fanciful notion; a feeling or hunch; an impression.
He had the wild idea that if he leant forward a little, he might be able to touch the mountain-top.
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Ideal
Existing in idea or thought; conceptional; intellectual; mental; as, ideal knowledge.
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Ideal
Reaching an imaginary standard of excellence; fit for a model; faultless; as, ideal beauty.
There will always be a wide interval between practical and ideal excellence.
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Idea
The transcript, image, or picture of a visible object, that is formed by the mind; also, a similar image of any object whatever, whether sensible or spiritual.
Her sweet idea wandered through his thoughts.
Being the right idea of your fatherBoth in your form and nobleness of mind.
This representation or likeness of the object being transmitted from thence [the senses] to the imagination, and lodged there for the view and observation of the pure intellect, is aptly and properly called its idea.
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Idea
A general notion, or a conception formed by generalization.
Alice had not the slightest idea what latitude was.
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Ideal
Teaching the doctrine of idealism; as, the ideal theory or philosophy.
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Idea
Hence: Any object apprehended, conceived, or thought of, by the mind; a notion, conception, or thought; the real object that is conceived or thought of.
Whatsoever the mind perceives in itself, or as the immediate object of perception, thought, or undersanding, that I call idea.
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Idea
A belief, option, or doctrine; a characteristic or controlling principle; as, an essential idea; the idea of development.
That fellow seems to me to possess but one idea, and that is a wrong one.
What is now "idea" for us? How infinite the fall of this word, since the time where Milton sang of the Creator contemplating his newly-created world, -"how it showed . . . Answering his great idea," -to its present use, when this person "has an idea that the train has started," and the other "had no idea that the dinner would be so bad!"
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Ideal
A mental conception regarded as a standard of perfection; a model of excellence, beauty, etc.
The ideal is to be attained by selecting and assembling in one whole the beauties and perfections which are usually seen in different individuals, excluding everything defective or unseemly, so as to form a type or model of the species. Thus, the Apollo Belvedere is the ideal of the beauty and proportion of the human frame.
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Idea
A plan or purpose of action; intention; design.
I shortly afterwards set off for that capital, with an idea of undertaking while there the translation of the work.
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Ideal
The idea of something that is perfect; something that one hopes to attain
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Idea
A rational conception; the complete conception of an object when thought of in all its essential elements or constituents; the necessary metaphysical or constituent attributes and relations, when conceived in the abstract.
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Idea
A fiction object or picture created by the imagination; the same when proposed as a pattern to be copied, or a standard to be reached; one of the archetypes or patterns of created things, conceived by the Platonists to have excited objectively from eternity in the mind of the Deity.
Thence to behold this new-created world,The addition of his empire, how it showedIn prospect from his throne, how good, how fair,Answering his great idea.
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Ideal
Conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
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Idea
The content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about;
It was not a good idea
The thought never entered my mind
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Ideal
Constituting or existing only in the form of an idea or mental image or conception;
A poem or essay may be typical of its period in idea or ideal content
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Idea
An approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth;
An estimate of what it would cost
A rough idea how long it would take
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Ideal
A principle or value considered worthwhile.
Equality is an ideal that they strive for.
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Idea
Your intention; what you intend to do;
He had in mind to see his old teacher
The idea of the game is to capture all the pieces
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Ideal
An optimum model or example.
This design is the ideal of modern architecture.
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Idea
(music) melodic subject of a musical composition;
The theme is announced in the first measures
The accompanist picked up the idea and elaborated it
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Ideal
A perfect example to be emulated.
He is the ideal leader for the project.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can businesses have ideals?
Yes, many businesses adopt ideals as part of their values or mission.
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Can an idea become an ideal?
Yes, if it evolves into a widely accepted standard or model.
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Is an ideal always achievable?
Not always; ideals often represent aspirational targets rather than practical realities.
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Do ideas always lead to action?
Not necessarily; some ideas remain theoretical or conceptual.
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Is every idea innovative?
Not always; ideas can range from mundane to groundbreaking.
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Can an idea be a physical object?
An idea itself is not physical, but it can lead to the creation of physical objects.
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Are ideals important in education?
Yes, they can guide educational goals and ethics.
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Are ideals subjective?
Yes, what is considered ideal can vary greatly among individuals and cultures.
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Can ideas be patented?
Not ideas themselves, but their specific applications or inventions can be.
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Do all ideas get implemented?
No, many ideas are not implemented due to various constraints or choices.
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Are personal ideals significant?
Yes, personal ideals can greatly influence an individual's decisions and actions.
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Do ideals vary across cultures?
Yes, ideals can differ significantly based on cultural values and norms.
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Are ideals constant over time?
Ideals can evolve, although they often represent enduring principles or values.
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Can ideals conflict with practicality?
Yes, sometimes ideals can be impractical or challenging to implement.
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How do ideas impact society?
Ideas can drive social change, innovation, and cultural evolution.
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Is it possible to measure an ideal?
Measuring ideals is subjective and depends on individual or societal values.
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Do ideals influence art and literature?
Yes, they often shape the themes and messages in art and literature.
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Can ideas be controversial?
Yes, some ideas can be divisive or controversial.
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Can technology change ideals?
Technology can influence ideals, particularly in terms of what is considered achievable or desirable.
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Are ideas tangible?
Ideas are intangible, but their results can be tangible.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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