Meaning of magical thinking | Babel Free

Definitions

The attribution of causal or synchronistic relationships between actions and events which seemingly cannot be justified by reason and observation.

uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“But, at first, by mere magical thinking […] Omens are gradually separated from ordinary probable signs […] as necessary infallible signs (or tendencies) if cunning can find them out, connected by some supernatural law with the unknown future that certainly awaits us, and as a kind of Magic.”

““What we see in the UK paper is a lot of magical thinking about how an invisible border would work in the future,” said the senior EU official, giving the most detailed response yet from Brussels on the recent series of papers that emerged from Whitehall.”

“This magical thinking feels as if it really might catch on / Mama wants some answers / Do you remember where it all went wrong?”

“What Harry does not realise, however, is that his magical thinking about Diana’s “disappearance” extends to multiple other aspects of his life.”

CEFR level