pie in the sky

American  

noun

1. pie.

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pie in the sky Cultural  

1. A preposterously optimistic goal: “The candidate says we can balance the budget by next year, but I think that's pie in the sky.”

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pie in the sky Idioms  

1. An empty wish or promise, as in His dream of being hired as a sports editor proved to be pie in the sky. This expression was first recorded in 1911 in a rallying song of a union, the International Workers of the World (or “Wobblies”): “Work and pray, live on hay, you'll get pie in the sky when you die.”

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Etymology

Origin of pie in the sky

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

A lot of folks think that is pie in the sky.

From Barron's

Burnham said the bid was "not pie in the sky", and there had been "promising conversations" with organisers about "bringing the tournament to a bespoke, world-class course at Hulton Park".

From BBC

Speed's comments feel like pie in the sky, yet China never had a world snooker champion until this year.

From BBC

"For ministers to say 'we expect them to do their duty, to do things properly' is just pie in the sky."

From BBC

I’m not in any way “pie in the sky” about these realities, but I also recognize and actually trust in a belief that sometimes good things happen in ways that feel predetermined and fateful.

From Los Angeles Times