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wish on

British

verb

(tr, preposition) to hope that (someone or something) should be imposed (on someone); foist

I wouldn't wish my cold on anyone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

wish on Idioms

Foist or impose something on another, as in I wouldn't wish this job on my worst enemy. [Early 1900s]

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.

See Examples For:

wish on

Like many parents who’ve experienced a CPS investigation, Buttigieg described it as “one of the most awful” experiences of his life, one he “wouldn’t wish on anybody.”

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

Italy's Matteo Arnaldi says withdrawing from his first Grand Slam semi-final through illness is an experience he would "not wish on anybody".

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026

Tseng went more than a decade without winning a tournament as she struggled through injuries, mechanical problems, and the one affliction no golfer would wish on their worst enemy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025

It’s true I’ve been through some things that I would not wish on others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025

That was on my list of things you can wish on.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

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