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
In retrospect, this myth, sold to the public as COIN, is part of a larger pattern of dishonesty that runs through America’s longest war, 20 years of wishful thinking and willful ignorance that culminated in tragedy on Aug. 15, 2021, when Raziq’s mortal enemies entered Kabul in triumph.
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Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024
That conclusion – or wishful thinking – led to extrapolating that a $97.5 billion surplus would emerge in 2022-23 and future years.
—Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for wishful thinking 
Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024
That conclusion – or wishful thinking – led to extrapolating that a $97.5 billion surplus would emerge in 2022-23 and future years.
—Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for wishful thinking
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wishful thinking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wishful thinking
Cite this Entry
“Wishful thinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wishful%20thinking. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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