whistle past
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To ignore or deny obvious facts; to continue despite problems.
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The party can't keep whistling past these bad polling numbers.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “whistle past” mean?
To ignore or deny obvious facts; to continue despite problems.
Is “whistle past” formal or informal?
whistle past is generally informal.