Standard Lemma guide

pie-in-the-sky

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpaɪ n̩ ðə ˈskaɪ/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪ

1

adj

Meaning 1

Lacking reality and serviceability.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • a pie-in-the-sky patent

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a dream, unlikely to ever come true; impractical, unrealizable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the noun pie in the sky.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 不切實際的 /不切实际的 — lacking reality
  • Japanese: 絵に描いた餅の (e ni kaita mochi no) — lacking reality
  • Polish: nierealny — lacking reality
  • French: utopique — of a dream unlikely to ever come true
  • French: illusoire — of a dream unlikely to ever come true
  • Polish: utopijny — of a dream unlikely to ever come true
  • Russian: нереалистичный (nerealističnyj) — of a dream unlikely to ever come true
  • Russian: утопичный (utopičnyj) — of a dream unlikely to ever come true