wish fulfillment

noun

: the gratification of a desire especially symbolically (as in dreams, daydreams, or neurotic symptoms)

Examples of wish fulfillment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web If it’s meant to be the last Bluey story, then some degree of wish fulfillment, along with a curtain call for the larger ensemble and that emotionally overwhelming hug on the front lawn, feels deserved enough. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024 Thankfully, the film is more than a fan-fiction fever dream, taking standard rom-com wish fulfillment and dialing it up to unexpectedly charming effect. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024 If this sounds like Trumpian wish fulfillment, fair enough, but that’s it for the political backdrop. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2024 All of them hark back to a rowdy, rough-and-tumble time when movies were content to be vessels of visceral wish fulfillment and mindless, instantly disposable escapism. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 For most of the show, Sugar comes off as unconvincing wish fulfillment. Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024 Before the show, there had been a whirlwind afternoon rehearsal, during which the cast had directed their director—surely some sort of secret wish fulfillment for actors. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 But some entrepreneurs are using social media to sell a more literal fairytale, promising a night of wish fulfillment for anyone who ever dreamed of living in another world. Eva Rothenberg, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024 Only her wish fulfillments tend to come with a catch. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wish fulfillment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wish fulfillment was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near wish fulfillment

Cite this Entry

“Wish fulfillment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wish%20fulfillment. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

wish fulfillment

noun
wish ful·​fill·​ment
-mənt
: the gratification of a desire especially symbolically (as in dreams or fantasies)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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