idyllic

adjective

idyl·​lic ī-ˈdi-lik How to pronounce idyllic (audio)
chiefly British i-
1
: pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity
an idyllic childhood
2
: of, relating to, or being an idyll
idyllically
ī-ˈdi-li-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce idyllic (audio)
chiefly British i-
adverb

Examples of idyllic in a Sentence

He had an idyllic childhood. an idyllic retreat in the countryside
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On the surface his family leads a charmed life, but the complex family drama will expose the brutality beneath the idyllic façade. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026 The expansion will take players to the brand new realm of Letten — an idyllic land of rural tradition that hides a dark secret just below the surface. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Both Tenzin and her brother describe their early childhood in Hilo, on the Big Island, as idyllic. — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 What started out as a vibe to channel your idyllic Italian vacation has now manifested into the rich, red-orange hue taking over runways and blush and lip palettes everywhere. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for idyllic

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of idyllic was in 1856

Rhymes for idyllic

See All Rhymes for idyllic

Browse Nearby Words

idyll
idyllic
idyllist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Idyllic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idyllic. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

idyllic

adjective
idyl·​lic ī-ˈdil-ik How to pronounce idyllic (audio)
: simple and charming
an idyllic little town
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All