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

The official described the idea that Trump may be amenable to accepting Democrats’ full list of demands as wishful thinking from the opposing party. —Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025

While a manual transmission option is wishful thinking, the BMW’s shifting mechanics including from automatic to paddle-shifting mode option is stiff. —James Raia, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2025

Without that rehearsal, paper plans are little more than wishful thinking. —Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

This has been a very shaky bullpen for a while, and expecting these relievers to suddenly become rock solid as the postseason approaches seems like an exercise in wishful thinking. —Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wishful thinking

• interlinking
• blinking
• clinking
• drinking
• inking
• kinking
• linking
• shrinking
• sinking
• slinking
• stinking
• winking