magical thinking

American  

noun

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

There is too much magical thinking about how to fix the program.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

We in the space community, in my view, have been willing to engage in magical thinking this whole time.”

From Slate • Dec. 9, 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

Because of their positions, politicians are often more tempted than most to indulge in this magical thinking.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos