nir·va·na
| \ nir-ˈvä-nə
, (ˌ)nər-\
, (ˌ)nər-\
Definition of nirvana
1
: the final beatitude (see beatitude sense 1a) that transcends suffering, karma, and samsara and is sought especially in Buddhism through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness
b
: a goal hoped for but apparently unattainable : dream
… that nirvana of the … weatherman: A foolproof system of forecasting. — Newsweek
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from nirvana
nirvanic
\ nir-ˈvä-nik
, -ˈva- , (ˌ)nər- \
adjective
, -ˈva- , (ˌ)nər- \
adjective
Examples of nirvana in a Sentence
the spa experience was a week of pure nirvana
the popular fantasy that life as a beachcomber in the South Pacific would be never-ending nirvana
Recent Examples on the Web
Denver ranked 25th on that index, while Seattle, the nirvana for relocating youth, came in at 40th. — Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, "Denver only city to get top props from Boomers, Gen Xers and millennials in survey," 10 Aug. 2019 Saturday’s masquerade may be a costume maker’s nirvana, but every day at the Con is chockablock with gonzo wardrobes, seductive graphics, stunning animations. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "50 Shades of Comic-Con: What we’ve gained and lost in five decades of pop culture celebrations," 14 July 2019 The architects of a wave of health insurance mergers in the 2000s also proclaimed a new era of efficient technology and improved customer service, but studies of prior mergers show that this nirvana seldom comes to pass. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: Health insurance companies are useless. Get rid of them," 5 Aug. 2019 Saturday’s masquerade may be a costume maker’s nirvana, but every day at the Con is chockablock with gonzo wardrobes, seductive graphics, stunning animations. — Tribune News Service, cleveland.com, "50 years of San Diego Comic-Con: What we’ve gained and lost in five decades of pop culture celebrations (See latest photos)," 18 July 2019 Today, around half a billion people around the world practice Buddhism, which is built upon principles like the Four Noble Truths and pursuit of nirvana. — Caitlin Etherton, National Geographic, "20 of the world’s most beautiful Buddhist temples," 10 June 2019 Top Shop: Balmoria View this post on Instagram A post shared by Balmoria (@balmoriamx) on Apr 28, 2018 at 7:15am PDT Enter cosmetic nirvana at Balmoria, which sells only artisanal makeup, skincare, and wellness brands made in Mexico. — Taylore Glynn, Marie Claire, "Your Beauty Guide to Mexico City," 28 May 2019 Chillest Spa: Yes Organic Boutique and Spa View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yes Organic Boutique (@yesorganicboutique) on Feb 26, 2019 at 5:06pm PST Enter nirvana at this dreamy day spa. — Taylore Glynn, Marie Claire, "Your Beauty Guide to Albuquerque," 3 May 2019 Yet for all her expertise, Tran thinks the minimalist nirvana worshipped on Instagram is but a pipe dream. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Alyce Tran Is Here to Edit Your Handbag and Your Life," 2 May 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nirvana.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for nirvana
nirvana
noun
English Language Learners Definition of nirvana
: the state of perfect happiness and peace in Buddhism where there is release from all forms of suffering
: a state or place of great happiness and peace
See the full definition for nirvana in the English Language Learners Dictionary
Keep scrolling for more