Shangri-la

noun

ˌshaŋ-gri-ˈlä How to pronounce Shangri-la (audio)
Definition of Shangri-lanext
as in utopia
an often imaginary place or state of utter perfection and happiness a dreamer who spent much of his life roaming the world in search of his personal Shangri-la

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of Shangri-la This salon has a roster of 50 different tea blends from which to choose (and tea sommeliers to help out any newbies)—it's Shangri-la for tea snobs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Shangri-la
  1. utopia
  2. paradise
  3. heaven
Noun
  • Then there are folks like Vinod Khosla and Elon Musk, who predict people won’t need money or jobs, without telling us how this utopia/dystopia will come to pass.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • What’s going on now makes the Gilded Age of Rockefeller look like an egalitarian utopia.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of utopia
Noun
  • Looking to start your own island paradise full of Miis based on family, friends, and celebrities, but don’t feel like paying full fare?
    — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 31 July 2026
  • Aquatica is a tropical paradise that offers something a little different than the standard water park, as a few attractions allow guests to get up close and personal with marine wildlife.
    — Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026
Definition of paradise
Noun
  • Its purpose is to take deep panoramic images of the sky, over and over again, every clear night across the next 10 years, making what amounts to a decade-spanning ultrahigh-definition timelapse movie of the entire heavens.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
  • The evolution of Jacob Latz from hopeful starter to All-Star closer is one of those from-heaven developments all good teams need.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
Definition of heaven

Browse Nearby Words

shanghais
Shangri-la
Shangri-las
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Cite this Entry

“Shangri-la.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Shangri-la. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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