wishful thinking
The formation of beliefs based on an outcome that aligns with one's desires or hopes, while disregarding evidence, rationality, or reality.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Hoping for rain tomorrow is just wishful thinking.”
“He keeps saying he'll quit smoking next month, but it's mostly wishful thinking.”
“Her conviction that the failing company would somehow recover was less optimism than wishful thinking, born of twenty years she could not bear to leave behind.”
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blue-sky thinking
A form of thinking that is not grounded or in touch with the realities of the present, and can thus benefit from creative imagination.
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thinking cap
A metaphorical state of focused thinking or concentration, invoked to encourage problem-solving.
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thinking man's
Of someone or something, appealing to intelligent or intellectually inclined individuals.
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way of thinking
An opinion; a viewpoint.
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what was someone thinking
Used to express disappointment about someone's uncharacteristic or abnormal past actions.
Last updated August 10, 2026