Nirvana
What it means
A state of perfect peace, happiness, or freedom.
Reach for it when figuratively describing a state or place of complete peace and happiness
For the tired hikers, the quiet lakeside cabin felt like nirvana.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when informal perfect pleasure is intended
Careful Heaven can make a literal religious claim.
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warm
Fits when intense happiness is the sole focus
Careful Bliss lacks the spiritual release associated with nirvana.
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warm
Fits when deep calm matters more than ecstasy
Careful Serenity does not imply freedom from suffering.
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formal
Fits when spiritual awakening is the intended concept
Careful Enlightenment and nirvana are not interchangeable doctrines.
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formal
Fits when an ideal social order is meant
Careful Utopia concerns society, not inward liberation.
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literary
Fits when an ideal place of delight is imagined
Careful Paradise is usually a place and may carry Christian imagery.
Opposites 3
- misery
- turmoil
- suffering
Common phrases 3
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reach nirvana
The joke claimed that fresh socks could help a hiker reach nirvana.
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pure nirvana
For the exhausted gardener, the shaded hammock was pure nirvana.
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state of nirvana
The poem imagines a state of nirvana beyond fear and craving.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Nirvana is a specific religious concept in Buddhism and related traditions; casual use as a synonym for pleasure can trivialize it.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated