wishful thinking


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

wishful thinking

n.
Thinking in which what one wishes were the case is believed to be real or likely to become real.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

wishful thinking

n
the erroneous belief that one's wishes are in accordance with reality
wishful thinker n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wish′ful think′ing


n.
interpretation of facts, actions, words, etc., as one would like them to be rather than as they really are.
[1925–30]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.wishful thinking - the illusion that what you wish for is actually true
fancy, phantasy, illusion, fantasy - something many people believe that is false; "they have the illusion that I am very wealthy"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
ønsketænkning
תקוות שווא
wensdenken
zbožné želanie
önsketänkande
boş ümitolmayacak arzu

wish

(wiʃ) verb
1. to have and/or express a desire. There's no point in wishing for a miracle; Touch the magic stone and wish; He wished that she would go away; I wish that I had never met him.
2. to require (to do or have something). Do you wish to sit down, sir?; We wish to book some seats for the theatre; I'll cancel the arrangement if you wish.
3. to say that one hopes for (something for someone). I wish you the very best of luck.
noun
1. a desire or longing, or the thing desired. It's always been my wish to go to South America some day.
2. an expression of desire. The fairy granted him three wishes; Did you make a wish?
3. (usually in plural) an expression of hope for success etc for someone. He sends you his best wishes.
wishful ˈthinking noun
expectations based on what one hopes will happen, not on what is likely to happen.
ˈwishing-well noun
a well which is supposed to have the power of granting any wish made when one is beside it.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

wishful thinking

n (el) creer que algo es verdadero porque se desea intensamente
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive ?
Therefore, the failure of financial self-interest to reduce wishful thinking could be argued to have no validity beyond sports.
"Do you suppose," asked a correspondent who has been around since the 60S, "that talk about the Coming Crash is just wishful thinking?"
They also represent a serious case of wishful thinking. We found that restaurants often serve from two to three times more than food labels I,ist as a serving.
To rely on production people--who think in terms of production problems--for coming up with sound market planning is wishful thinking.
To interpret this narrow ruling as a new theory of liability limitation for accountants is wishful thinking. If CPAs conduct audits with less concern about triple-damage liability in civil fraud cases, they are being foolhardy.
But after many years of waiting for such data to appear, is it perhaps just more wishful thinking to hope that it will bring some revelatory clarity?
'That's wishful thinking coming from a tired, old, failed, revolutionary [leader],' Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
Any attempt to oust House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is just "wishful thinking" as President Duterte remains supportive of his leadership, Malacanang said Tuesday.
Moreover, the action of the Palestinian authorities also suggests that arena of international relations and politics does not provide any space to wishful thinking despite the fact that the rally of JuD was organized to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
Spirited and wishful thinking BARBARA Dunn (Talkback, February 9) thinks heaven is a spiritual realm.
All the wishful thinking in the world won't make studies on a mouse or dog relevant to humans.
Go West, aka Peter Cox and Richard Drummie, will be performing hits like We Close Our Eyes, Call Me and King of Wishful Thinking.