The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word UTOPIANS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
U
T
O
P
I
A
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More clues leading to the result UTOPIANS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Those wanting ideal life" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case those wanting ideal life = utopians.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does UTOPIANS mean?
UTOPIANS noun- Someone who supports or heralds the establishment of a utopia.