wishful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wishful
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 Stills-Young Band may have been wishful thinking for the co-leaders and a drag for some 1970s critics, but today the album is an imperfect classic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
There have always been overeager people who, through either extreme wishful thinking or some quirk of brain chemistry, have come to believe that science fiction hides secret messages or covers up for real events.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
Nor is that wishful thinking: “With the launch of its GLM-5.2 model, Z.ai has mounted the most impressive Chinese challenge yet to US dominance in artificial intelligence,” writes Gavekal Research analyst Will Denyer.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
It's also not yet clear if any lucky fans will get an invite, a theory perhaps wrapped in wishful thinking that cropped up due to Swift inviting devout fans to her home in the past.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
Mere wishful thinking, Farmer declared, basically telling his audience they didn’t know as much about MDR as he and PIH did.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
