perish the thought
idiom
—used to say that something will not happen or that one hopes that something will not happen
What? Me help him out? Perish the thought.
Who would take over as goalie if, perish the thought, he got injured?
Examples of perish the thought in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For anyone under the impression that dogs are being skinned, perish the thought.
—
Rosalie R. Radomsky, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
That’s exactly what will happen — perish the thought — if Donald Trump is elected president in November.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2024
The worst part of grocery shopping is waiting in the inevitably-long checkout line (perish the thought of completing your haul on a Sunday afternoon).
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2024
However, if Baby Jessica didn’t make it — perish the thought!
—Kevin Falls, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 June 2023
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Rosalie R. Radomsky, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
That’s exactly what will happen — perish the thought — if Donald Trump is elected president in November.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2024
The worst part of grocery shopping is waiting in the inevitably-long checkout line (perish the thought of completing your haul on a Sunday afternoon).
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2024
However, if Baby Jessica didn’t make it — perish the thought!
—Kevin Falls, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Perish the thought.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perish%20the%20thought. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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