Dictionary

pie-in-the-sky en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈpaɪ n̩ ðə ˈskaɪ/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From the noun pie in the sky.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) Lacking reality and serviceability.
   • a pie-in-the-sky patent
2. (idiomatic) Of a dream, unlikely to ever come true; impractical, unrealizable.
   • If his [Donald Trump's] detailing was productive, it was somewhat undermined by a final, typical Trumpian flourish of pie-in-the-sky rhetoric. 2017 March 1, Anthony Zurcher, “Trump addresses Congress: A kinder, gentler president”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 05 Jun 2017:
   • “That said, we continue to remain cautious of pie-in-the-sky forecasts that see this hockey stick continuing indefinitely,” Nathanson added[…]. 2024 April 18, Callum Jones, quoting Michael Nathanson, “Netflix profits surge as streaming service adds 9.3m subscribers in latest quarter”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • Hence the trend in many C-suites to shift the conversation away from an imagined trade-off between profits and planet, and towards a discussion about mutual benefit. The key word reverberating around the boardrooms of the world's most progressive companies is 'value' – value for business in the shape of profits, and value for everyone else in the form of a more socially just, more equitable, more environmentally friendly world in which to live. If that sounds all very pie-in-the-sky, then think again. Take B Lab. A US-based certification provider, B Lab has accredited nearly 1,000 companies that publicly commit to "harness the power of business to create public benefit … for all stakeholders, not just shareholders". This isn't whimsical stuff. 2014 April 22, Mary Catherine O’Connor, “Reimagining growth: a new approach to business success”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Apr 2014:
   • In other words, the usual mix of sound thinking and pie-in-the-sky electioneering promises which convince no one. 2019 December 4, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Williams or Nationalisation?”, in Rail, page 3:
   • “Halving poverty in 15 years seems like the most pie-in-the-sky goal imaginable,” said Mark Malloch Brown, head of the U.N. Development Program. “But it’s really quite doable. And the people who can do it are right here. 2000 September 10, Maggie Farley, John J. Goldman, “U.N. Crafts Plan to Change World”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Jun 2025:
   • There are also several augmented reality tools, meant for advertising and teaching, and some futuristic surreal experiences that remind me of scenes from Star Trek’s holodeck. Some of the virtual reality demos are very pie-in-the-sky and probably won’t see the real world for some years to come; others are just a few years away. 2010 April 8, Nick Bilton, “At French Conference, Virtual Reality Meets Reality”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2025:

Forms

Translations (8)

fr utopique (of a dream unlikely to ever come true) · cmn 不切實際的 /不切实际的 (lacking reality) · ru утопичный (of a dream unlikely to ever come true) · ru нереалистичный (of a dream unlikely to ever come true) · ja 絵に描いた餅の (lacking reality) · pl utopijny (of a dream unlikely to ever come true) · fr illusoire (of a dream unlikely to ever come true) · pl nierealny (lacking reality)