# ask for the moon

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ask-for-the-moon
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To claim or desire something that one cannot have.

## Examples

- Asking for a raise this soon is asking for the moon.
- The manager told the client that expecting the project finished by tomorrow is asking for the moon.
- While he understood the team's ambition, he cautioned them that requesting such an enormous budget during a financial crisis was essentially asking for the moon.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.