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 workforce component should help inform other critical decisions; without it, strategic planning easily can become wishful thinking.
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Julia Dhar, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
These discussions will be a curious mix of pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking plus practical, realistic options.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 27 June 2025
According to some who work in the field of AI, that’s more than just wishful thinking.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2025
Markets have a way of violently intruding on wishful thinking.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
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Julia Dhar, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
These discussions will be a curious mix of pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking plus practical, realistic options.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 27 June 2025
According to some who work in the field of AI, that’s more than just wishful thinking.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2025
Markets have a way of violently intruding on wishful thinking.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 May 2025
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 22 Jul. 2025.
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