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
That’s wishful thinking considering tariffs and other intangibles hanging over the Fed’s head, Zandi said.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2025
On the other hand, Alex Cobb’s one-year, $15 million contract requires a lot of wishful thinking to see more upside than risk given his recent injury history, and months of Alex Bregman speculation didn’t lead to a bigger splash.
—Chad Jennings, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
With a small majority in the Senate, and a wafer-thin GOP advantage in the House, this is just wishful thinking on the part of Rep. Ogles.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
This might seem like wishful thinking, but Christopher Carter, a historian of geophysics, explains that for a brief time, the idea gained support in the scientific community.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
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Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2025
On the other hand, Alex Cobb’s one-year, $15 million contract requires a lot of wishful thinking to see more upside than risk given his recent injury history, and months of Alex Bregman speculation didn’t lead to a bigger splash.
—Chad Jennings, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
With a small majority in the Senate, and a wafer-thin GOP advantage in the House, this is just wishful thinking on the part of Rep. Ogles.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
This might seem like wishful thinking, but Christopher Carter, a historian of geophysics, explains that for a brief time, the idea gained support in the scientific community.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 23 Jan. 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 3 Mar. 2025.
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