utopia

noun

uto·pia | \ yu̇-ˈtō-pē-ə

Definition of utopia

1 often capitalized : a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions

2 : an impractical scheme for social improvement

3 : an imaginary and indefinitely remote place

Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about utopia

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Did You Know?

In 1516, English humanist Sir Thomas More published a book titled Utopia. It compared social and economic conditions in Europe with those of an ideal society on an imaginary island located off the coast of the Americas. More wanted to imply that the perfect conditions on his fictional island could never really exist, so he called it Utopia, a name he created by combining the Greek words ou (meaning "no, not") and topos (meaning "place," a root used in our word topography). The earliest generic use of utopia was for an imaginary and indefinitely remote place. The current use of utopia, referring to an ideal place or society, was inspired by More's description of Utopia's perfection.

Examples of utopia in a Sentence

The town's founders wanted to create a Christian utopia. It's a nice place to live, but it's no Utopia.

Recent Examples on the Web

The chaos that became a utopia and a definitive statement for the ideals of '60s counterculture. — Gary Graff, Billboard, "Woodstock at 50: The 12 Best Performances From the 1969 Festival," 14 Aug. 2019 Eleven artists from Los Angeles and beyond — including Roni Feldman, Ricardo Harris Fuentes and Shanna Wadell — examine concepts of utopia (and its opposites) in their work. — Los Angeles Times, "Datebook: Paintings that serve as reflections of indigenous life in Australia," 26 July 2019 The result is a utopia that lasts centuries, long after the deaths of all Avengers save Thor. — Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, "How 'What If?' Could Become Marvel's 'Twilight Zone'," 8 Aug. 2019 The pop festival is truly utopia for the young music nut. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Before there was Woodstock, there was Laurel Pop, Maryland’s fiery rock festival," 10 July 2019 And despite its ideals, Fête de la Musique is no utopia. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "Fête de la Musique, the worldwide midsummer musical bash, explained," 21 June 2019 This is not to say that Western Europe, in the postwar era, was any kind of utopia. — Anne Applebaum, The New York Review of Books, "The Lure of Western Europe," 6 June 2019 In 2032, society has reached a state of pacifist utopia. — Tasha Robinson, The Verge, "10 subversive, dark American futures to stream on July 4th," 4 July 2018 The band’s canon of 1960s classics forged a new chapter in Americana, stoking fantasies of a beach utopia for generations of landlocked listeners across the globe. — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE.com, "The Beach Boys in Their Own Words: America's Band Tells the Tales Behind Their Pop Masterpieces," 8 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'utopia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for utopia

utopia

noun

English Language Learners Definition of utopia

: an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect

See the full definition for utopia in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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utopia

Definition of utopia

Synonyms & Antonyms for utopia

Did You Know?

Examples of utopia in a Sentence

First Known Use of utopia

History and Etymology for utopia

English Language Learners Definition of utopia

utopia

Definition of utopia

Synonyms & Antonyms for utopia

Did You Know?

Examples of utopia in a Sentence

First Known Use of utopia

History and Etymology for utopia

English Language Learners Definition of utopia

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