as in utopia
an often imaginary place or state of utter perfection and happiness
a depiction of Merry Old England that debunks the popular notion that it was ever some sort of never-never land
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Recent Examples of never-never land
Yet the extravagance that helped define E3’s never-never land feeling remained at full-tilt.
—
Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 12 Dec. 2023
Over the course of his career, Buffett earned their love by transforming himself into a kind of musical shaman who offered transport from the banalities of everyday life to the bounty of a never-never land of eternal sun, endless sandy beaches and bottomless boat drinks: Margaritaville.
—Drew M. Dalton, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2023
Pavelski was curling in from the left wing, outpaced his check, only to get clobbered to never-never land by Dumba.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2023
Every chapter straddles the psychological never-never land between myth and science.
—Robert M. Thorson, WSJ, 4 Mar. 2022
Ownership of both is a must for the haves and a never-never land for the have-nots.
—Scott Burns, Dallas News, 9 Oct. 2020
Of course, this abject failure is nothing new in the never-never land of presidential debates.
—Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2020
But for ten days every June, when the Aspen Ideas Festival is in full swing, a technicolour fever dream descends and the campus becomes a corporate never-never land.
—The Economist, 11 Oct. 2019
Off to never-never land: Thousands drive, bike, walk and board packed trains to Metallica concert at Chase Center.
—Taylor Kate Brown, SFChronicle.com, 9 Sep. 2019
Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 12 Dec. 2023
Over the course of his career, Buffett earned their love by transforming himself into a kind of musical shaman who offered transport from the banalities of everyday life to the bounty of a never-never land of eternal sun, endless sandy beaches and bottomless boat drinks: Margaritaville.
—Drew M. Dalton, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2023
Pavelski was curling in from the left wing, outpaced his check, only to get clobbered to never-never land by Dumba.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2023
Every chapter straddles the psychological never-never land between myth and science.
—Robert M. Thorson, WSJ, 4 Mar. 2022
Ownership of both is a must for the haves and a never-never land for the have-nots.
—Scott Burns, Dallas News, 9 Oct. 2020
Of course, this abject failure is nothing new in the never-never land of presidential debates.
—Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2020
But for ten days every June, when the Aspen Ideas Festival is in full swing, a technicolour fever dream descends and the campus becomes a corporate never-never land.
—The Economist, 11 Oct. 2019
Off to never-never land: Thousands drive, bike, walk and board packed trains to Metallica concert at Chase Center.
—Taylor Kate Brown, SFChronicle.com, 9 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for never-never land
Noun
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This classic in speculative fiction describes a seeming utopia with a dark secret about the idyllic lifestyle of (almost) all of its residents.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Sep. 2025
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That said, the road to AI utopia is paved with data pipelines, integration headaches and a dev team that’s definitely going to ask for more cloud budget.—
Andrew Siemer,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For example, their Palm Beach paradise is a world away from their bespoke Greenwich manor, which differs completely from their retro-glam 1970s-style Miami home and their vacation house on Mustique.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
16 Sep. 2025
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The yachts which have thronged the bay are fewer as summer gives way to fall, but the off-season quiet has its own appeal for visitors wanting a slice of paradise to themselves.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Neon lights and a checkerboard stage added to the ‘80s vibe of the song, while a musician playing a keytar with hair-teased-to-heavens cemented the influence of the decade on Doja’s sound.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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The great Albert Brooks film Defending Your Life, from 1991, imagines a bureaucratic heaven that prepares the recently departed for their next phase of existence.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Who’s who in Horizon Over three hours, the movie follows several different characters en route to a settlement called Horizon, lured by a flier that promised land for anyone brave enough to make the journey.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
TIME,
28 June 2024
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This is the idea that God promised land that is now Israel and the Palestinian territories to Abraham and his descendants.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
26 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Never-never land.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/never-never%20land. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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