What Does "Wishful Thinking" Mean?
"Wishful thinking" is an English idiom. It means "the act of hoping for or believing in something without sufficient evidence or realistic expectations."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "wishful thinking" used in a sentence:- Hoping that the problem will solve itself is just wishful thinking; we need to take action.
- Her belief that she'll win the lottery is pure wishful thinking.
- Relying on wishful thinking won't help us achieve our goals; we need a solid plan.

What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Wishful Thinking" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "wishful thinking" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
Gold

Silver

Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?