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
How could humanity have ever accomplished any of these without a little wishful thinking?
—
Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2026
What is obvious for some is wishful thinking for others.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026
Expecting a population raised under monarchs and mullahs to improvise a constitutional republic on short notice may be less strategy and more wishful thinking.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
His notion of spontaneous democratic combustion in a country of 90 million people, with its heavily armed military establishment still very much in control, shows sheer wishful thinking.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2026
What is obvious for some is wishful thinking for others.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026
Expecting a population raised under monarchs and mullahs to improvise a constitutional republic on short notice may be less strategy and more wishful thinking.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
His notion of spontaneous democratic combustion in a country of 90 million people, with its heavily armed military establishment still very much in control, shows sheer wishful thinking.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 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 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
