# castle in the air

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/castle-in-the-air
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A desire, idea, or plan that is unlikely to ever be realized; a visionary project or scheme; a daydream, an idle fancy, a near impossibility.

## Examples

- He builds castles in the air instead of working.
- She spends all her time planning a luxury trip she cannot afford, building castles in the air.
- The young inventor spent his youth building castles in the air, ignoring the practical limitations that ultimately doomed his ambitious project.

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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.