Meanings
plural wishful thinkings
- idiomaticuncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe formation of beliefs based on an outcome that aligns with one's desires or hopes, while disregarding evidence, rationality, or reality.
When you first come out, you might have an overactive gaydar. When I realized I was gay, I wanted everyone to be gay too, which led to a lot of wishful thinking. "Helen Hunt is gay!" Dream on, girl!
1996, Judy Carter, The Homo Handbook1 more example
Although no word has ever really emerged of what the Queen has really thought of her prime ministers, there has always been a sense that she did not get on terribly well with Thatcher. Some of this is doubtless wishful thinking, but there were sufficient straws in the wind to give it some credence, such as the story that the prime minister asked what the sovereign intended to wear to an event so as to avoid a clash, only to be told frostily that Her Majesty did not pay any attention to what other people wore.
2022 September 8, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian - idiomaticuncountableusuallyDecision making based on self-delusion.
Translations
Arabic تَفْكِير رَغْبَوِيّ
- تَفْكِير رَغْبَوِيّ (tafkīr raḡbawiyy)illusion that what one would like is true
Catalan pensament il·lusori, pensament desideratiu
- pensament il·lusoriillusion that what one would like is true
- pensament desideratiuillusion that what one would like is true
Chinese Mandarin 一廂情願 /一厢情愿, 痴心妄想
- 一廂情願 /一厢情愿 (yīxiāngqíngyuàn)illusion that what one would like is true
- 痴心妄想 (chīxīnwàngxiǎng)illusion that what one would like is true
- 如意算盤 /如意算盘 (rúyì suànpán)illusion that what one would like is true
- 妄想 (wàngxiǎng)illusion that what one would like is true
- 痴想 (chīxiǎng)illusion that what one would like is true
Czech zbožné přání
- zbožné přáníillusion that what one would like is true
Danish ønsketænkning
- ønsketænkningillusion that what one would like is true
Dutch wensdenken
- wensdenkenillusion that what one would like is true
Estonian soovmõtlemine
- soovmõtlemineillusion that what one would like is true
Finnish toiveajattelu
- toiveajatteluillusion that what one would like is true
French vœu pieux
- vœu pieuxillusion that what one would like is true
German Wunschdenken
- Wunschdenkenillusion that what one would like is true
Greek ευσεβείς πόθοι
- ευσεβείς πόθοι (efseveís póthoi)illusion that what one would like is true
Hebrew תקוות שווא, משאלת לב
- תקוות שווא (tiqvát shav)illusion that what one would like is true
- משאלת לב (mish'élet lev)illusion that what one would like is true
Hungarian vágyteljesítő/vágyvezérelt/vágyelvű gondolkodás
- vágyteljesítő/vágyvezérelt/vágyelvű gondolkodásillusion that what one would like is true
Icelandic óskhyggja
- óskhyggjaillusion that what one would like is true
Italian pia illusione, pio desiderio
- pia illusioneillusion that what one would like is true
- pio desiderioillusion that what one would like is true
- mero desiderioillusion that what one would like is true
Japanese 希望的観測, 甘い考え
- 希望的観測 (kibōteki kansoku)illusion that what one would like is true
- 甘い考え (amai kangae)illusion that what one would like is true
- 皮算用 (kawazan'yō)illusion that what one would like is true
Latin pium desiderium
- pium desideriumillusion that what one would like is true
Latvian vēlmju domāšana
- vēlmju domāšanaillusion that what one would like is true
Norwegian Bokmål ønsketenkning
- ønsketenkningillusion that what one would like is true
Polish chciejstwo, pobożne życzenia
- chciejstwoillusion that what one would like is true
- pobożne życzeniaillusion that what one would like is true
- myślenie życzenioweillusion that what one would like is true
Portuguese wishful thinking, pensamento desejoso
- wishful thinkingillusion that what one would like is true
- pensamento desejosoillusion that what one would like is true
Russian приня́тие жела́емого за действи́тельное
- приня́тие жела́емого за действи́тельное (prinjátije želájemovo za dejstvítelʹnoje)illusion that what one would like is true
Spanish ilusión, espejismo
- ilusiónillusion that what one would like is true
- espejismoillusion that what one would like is true
- pensamiento deseosoillusion that what one would like is true
- voluntarismoillusion that what one would like is true
- el cuento de la lecheraillusion that what one would like is true
- mucho optimismoillusion that what one would like is true
- ilusionesillusion that what one would like is true
- deseo ilusorioillusion that what one would like is true
- demasiado optimismoillusion that what one would like is true
Swedish önsketänkande
- önsketänkandeillusion that what one would like is true
Turkish hüsnükuruntu
- hüsnükuruntuillusion that what one would like is true
Welsh gobaith ofer
- gobaith oferillusion that what one would like is true
Cite this entry
wishful thinking. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wishful%20thinking
“wishful thinking.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wishful%20thinking. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wishful thinking,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wishful%20thinking.
Source: wishful thinking on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.