pie in the sky

noun phrase

: an unrealistic enterprise or prospect of prosperity
pie-in-the-sky
ˈpī-in-ṯẖə-ˈskī How to pronounce pie in the sky (audio)
adjective

Examples of pie in the sky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On one level this may seem like pie in the sky, yet the seeds of all of these possibilities already exist, and are firmly planted at the small-scale level of family, friendship and community at the local and hyper-local level. — William Hartung, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Picking out the best Pokemon games of all time is a pie in the sky. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 July 2026 But, there’s always a but, getting Giannis Antetokounmpo, unfortunately late in his productive career, would be just pie in the sky generating a tad bit of interest from fans, assuming of course the guy can still line up and give us minutes. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026 Is this peace-pilgrimage trip to the Middle East just pie in the sky? — Courtney Walsh, FOXNews.com, 30 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pie in the sky

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pie in the sky was in 1911

Rhymes for pie in the sky

See All Rhymes for pie in the sky

Browse Nearby Words

pieing
pie in the sky
pi electron
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Cite this Entry

“Pie in the sky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pie%20in%20the%20sky. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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