wishful thinking
noun
: the attribution of reality to what one wishes to be true or the tenuous justification of what one wants to believe
Examples of wishful thinking in a Sentence
The idea that the enemy will immediately surrender is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Recent Examples on the Web
On June 3, for instance, Mercury will square Neptune in Aries, potentially blurring the lines between wishful thinking and what our intuition is genuinely trying to tell us.
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Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Don’t fall prey to wishful thinking.
—Alla Adam, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
While many gardeners are hoping this trend continues into the summer months, that would probably be wishful thinking.
—Arkansas Online, 15 May 2026
That may or may not be wishful thinking.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
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Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Don’t fall prey to wishful thinking.
—Alla Adam, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
While many gardeners are hoping this trend continues into the summer months, that would probably be wishful thinking.
—Arkansas Online, 15 May 2026
That may or may not be wishful thinking.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
Cite this Entry
“Wishful thinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wishful%20thinking. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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