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magical thinking

American

noun

a conviction that thinking is equivalent to doing, occurring in dreams, the thought patterns of children, and some types of mental disorders, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The exhibition covers dreams, eros, war, European exiles and magical thinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

Each of these proposals attempts to address real problems but are either the result of magical thinking or will do more harm than good.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

The idea that abandoning this logic would lead to a lower cost per megawatt is magical thinking, defying technical plausibility, historical reality and common sense.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2025

Unlike what Joan Didion once suggested, magical thinking is no longer reserved for those who are grieving.

From Salon • Jan. 5, 2025

My mom’s magical thinking allows her to believe that I have total autonomy over my life.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023