Wishful Meaning in English
word
ˈwɪʃfəɫ
WISH-fuhl
wˈɪʃfəl
WISH-fuhl
Definition
Feeling or showing a desire for something to happen, often when it is unlikely. It often describes thoughts or ideas based more on hope than on reality.
Usage & Nuances
Usually mildly critical and often paired with 'thinking' as in 'wishful thinking'. Rarely used alone except as 'a wishful look'. Implies hopefulness that ignores practical limits.
Spanish: iluso - esperanzadoPortuguese (BR): ilusório - esperançosoPortuguese (PT): ilusório - esperançosoChinese (Simplified): 充满幻想的 - 心存希望的Chinese (Traditional): 充滿幻想的 - 心存希望的Hindi: आशावादी - कामना करने वालाArabic: واهمي - متمنٍBengali: আশামূলক - কল্পনাপ্রবণRussian: мечтательный - желаемый (нереалистичный)Japanese: 願望に満ちたVietnamese: hy vọng - mơ mộngKorean: 희망적인 - 바라는Turkish: arzulu - umutluUrdu: آرزو مند - امید بھراIndonesian: penuh harapan - mengkhayal
Example Sentences
She gave him a wishful smile.
basic
His plans sounded wishful rather than realistic.
basic
He looked at the cookies with a wishful expression.
basic
That’s just wishful thinking if you believe you can finish it in one day.
natural
Don’t be so wishful about the results—we need solid evidence.
natural
I know it’s wishful, but I hope we’ll see each other soon.
natural