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# not ideal

phrase (adjective phrase: not ideal)

«not ideal» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, polite, understatement) bad; a problem; quite a big problem.
2. (literal) not the best possible, but acceptable.

### In the lessons

Speakers, especially British, use it as an understatement to stay calm and polite about something bad. Polite and everyday register, mostly UK, also elsewhere; often funny because the problem is big.

### Examples

- The car broke down on the motorway, which was not ideal.
- We lost the tickets? Well, that's not ideal.
- A broken leg the day before the holiday — not ideal.
- It's not ideal, but we can sit on the floor.
- The tent is leaking — not ideal in a storm.
- Rain at a barbecue is not ideal.

### Note

It can mean «a disaster» said calmly, so learners can miss how serious the problem is. In casual speech it can also be truly mild. Plain words: bad, a problem, awful.