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

Here are five signs that reuniting with your ex could actually work, and how to tell the difference between real growth and wishful thinking. — Sabrina Romanoff, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Intuition may be heightened, but projection and wishful thinking are no exception. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026

The expectations, or maybe the wishful thinking, were all based on the magic that was supposed to happen. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Which is lovely, tasteful and, in the case of a celebration expected to draw some of the most famous people on earth, almost certainly wishful thinking. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026

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