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• Shangri-la
  Shangri-la

  noun

  an imaginary paradise on earth, especially a remote and exotic utopia.
• Shangri-La
  Shangri-La

  A fictional land of peace and perpetual youth; the setting for the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by the English author James Hilton, but probably best known from the movie versions. Shangri-La is supposedly in the mountains of Tibet.

Shangri-la

American  

[shang-gruh-lah, shang-gruh-lah] / ˈʃæŋ grəˌlɑ, ˌʃæŋ grəˈlɑ /

noun

1. an imaginary paradise on earth, especially a remote and exotic utopia.

2. a faraway haven or hideaway of idyllic beauty and tranquility.

   Last summer we rented a cottage on a little lake—our perfect Shangri-la.

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Shangri-la British  

/ ˌʃæŋɡrɪˈlɑː /

noun

1. a remote or imaginary utopia

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Shangri-La Cultural  

1. A fictional land of peace and perpetual youth; the setting for the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by the English author James Hilton, but probably best known from the movie versions. Shangri-La is supposedly in the mountains of Tibet.

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Discover More

A “Shangri-La,” by extension, is an ideal refuge from the troubles of the world.

Etymology

Origin of Shangri-la

After the fictional Tibetan land of eternal youth in the novel The Lost Horizon (1933) by James Hilton

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Shangri-la Shangri-La

Mr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore attended by defence chiefs from around the world, including US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese defence minister Dong Jun.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2024

"Ratched" was a bomb, but the psychiatric hospital where Sarah Paulson's wicked nurse worked was an interior designer's Shangri-la.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2023

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin at Singapore's Shangri-la Dialogue security conference in June, where a handshake marked their closest interaction.

From Reuters ● Sep. 16, 2023

Beijing has also refused requests from the U.S. for a face-to-face meeting between the defense chiefs of both countries during the June 2-4 Shangri-la Dialogue security forum in Singapore.

From Washington Times ● May 31, 2023

Herbie gawked at this serene woman who traipsed so placidly about her Shangri-la.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Hegseth was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual gathering of defence officials and experts from dozens of countries.

From Barron's ● May 30, 2026

At the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth was asked by Japan's defence minister to address concerns about US commitment.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

It was clear immediately that they’d found their shark-free Shangri-La: No predators, lots of food and no annoying ocean waves splashing the sheltered docks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

So I gave myself a budget of around $350 a day and skeptically set out to see if anyone not arriving by Lamborghini could have a good time in this tax-free Shangri-La on the Mediterranean.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026

Longtime visitors to the Khumbu are saddened by the boom in tourism and the change it has wrought on what early Western climbers regarded as an earthly paradise, a real-life Shangri-La.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer