English-grammar-lessons.co.uk

menu

Build Castles in the Air

What Does "Build Castles in the Air" Mean?

homeidiomsBuild Castles in the Air
"Build castles in the air" is an English idiom. It means "to daydream or create unrealistic plans."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "build castles in the air" used in a sentence:
  • It's fun to build castles in the air, but we need a practical plan.
  • He's always building castles in the air and not focusing on the present.
  • While building castles in the air, she imagined a perfect world.
meaning for build castles in the air

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Build Castles in the Air" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

A Quick Test

You now know what "build castles in the air" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
silver cup

gold cup

bronze cup

  • This test has questions.
  • A correct answer is worth 5 points.
  • You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
  • Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
  • Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
  • 🏆 If you beat one of the top 10 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System

Cyber Guru (+)
Cyber Hero (+)
Cyber Captain (+)
Cyber Sergeant (+)
Cyber Recruit (+)
Help Us To Improve English Grammar Lessons
  • Do you disagree with something on this page?
  • Did you spot a typo?
Please tell us using this form.
Do you know your English idioms? idioms test

Take Our Test.

search icon

Search our idioms database. (We have 10,000+ idioms!)