utopian
/juːˈtəʊpiən/ (bre, ipa) · [jutˈopiən] /juːˈtəʊpiən/ (ame, ipa) · [jutˈopiən] /yu̇-ˈtō-pē-ən How to pronounce utopian (audio)/ (ame, mw)
utopian — adjective
- utopianpositive
- more utopiancomparative
- most utopiansuperlative
1. describing a society, place, or plan built around the idea that people could liv
describing a society, place, or plan built around the idea that people could live together in complete fairness and happiness
The novel describes a utopian island where no child goes hungry.
utopian + place noun
Padma sketched a utopian city with free trains and shared gardens.
utopian + city / social design
Their club magazine praised a utopian vision of school without grades.
Museum visitors studied a utopian design for homes beside clean canals.
- dystopian
describes an imagined society marked by fear, control, or suffering
文法句型
utopian + society/place/vision
a utopian dream of + noun
用法筆記
Most often modifies nouns such as society, community, world, vision, or dream. Distinguish from adjective/2, which judges a proposal as unrealistically perfect rather than simply describing an imagined ideal world.
常見錯誤
2. describing an idea or reform that aims so high it ignores ordinary limits and is
describing an idea or reform that aims so high it ignores ordinary limits and is unlikely to work in real life
Council members called the rent-free housing plan utopian after seeing the budget.
call + plan + utopian
Ignacio's boss said the deadline was utopian for a team of two.
The editor rejected the article's utopian promise of instant world peace.
Parents liked the idea, but the transport schedule looked too utopian.
- idealistic
can be warmer or more admiring; utopian more often sounds dismissive
- visionary
may suggest useful imagination; utopian implies the plan is too perfect to succeed
- impractical
broader and less tied to an ideal social vision
文法句型
call something utopian
too utopian to + verb
用法筆記
Often carries a critical tone. Speakers use it when money, time, or human behavior makes a proposal sound impossible to carry out. Distinguish from adjective/1, which is about the content of an imagined ideal society.
常見錯誤
utopian — noun
1. a person who truly believes human society can become far fairer and happier than
a person who truly believes human society can become far fairer and happier than it is now
Adisa remained a utopian and kept arguing that prisons could disappear.
be a utopian and believe + clause
At dinner, Sivan the utopian spoke of cities run by neighborhood councils.
The documentary follows a young utopian who trusts people to share land fairly.
Critics dismissed Ari as a utopian for defending free public food.
- realist
focuses on likely results and present limits
- pragmatist
prefers workable steps over perfect social visions
文法句型
be a utopian
dismiss someone as a utopian
用法筆記
Often describes a person's broad faith in human improvement or social harmony. Distinguish from noun/2, which focuses on someone promoting a particular large-scale plan.
常見錯誤
2. a person who publicly supports sweeping social plans that sound perfect but are
a person who publicly supports sweeping social plans that sound perfect but are hard to put into practice
Newspapers branded the mayor a utopian after her no-car capital proposal.
brand someone a utopian
At the policy forum, Christopher the utopian demanded universal housing within a year.
Party leaders sidelined Dahlia as a utopian for backing money-free local markets.
Voters mistrusted the utopian who promised free power for every home.
- pragmatist
judges policies by what can actually be implemented
- moderate
backs smaller, more achievable reforms rather than total redesign
文法句型
brand someone a utopian
a utopian who + verb
用法筆記
Usually critical and tied to a manifesto, campaign, or reform package. Distinguish from noun/1, which can simply describe belief in human perfectibility without pointing to one named proposal.