idealism

Universal Words noun [U] 1 the belief that a perfect life, situation, etc. can be achieved, even when this is not very likely: He was full of youthful idealism. * Idealism has no place in modern politics. 2 (philosophy) the belief that our ideas are the only things that are real and that we can know about compareMATERIALISM, REALISM idealist noun: He's too much of an idealist for this government.