Walter Mitty

noun

, plural Walter Mittys.

1. an ordinary, timid person who is given to adventurous and self-aggrandizing daydreams or secret plans as a way of glamorizing a humdrum life.

Other Words From

• Walter Mittyish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Walter Mitty¹

From the title character of James Thurber's short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (1939)

Idioms and Phrases

A person, generally quite ordinary or ineffectual, who indulges in fantastic daydreams of personal triumphs. For example, He's a Walter Mitty about riding in a rodeo but is actually afraid of horses . This term comes from James Thurber's short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1939), describing just such a character.

Example Sentences

He was described as a "Walter Mitty" character who had changed his name several times and had 32 convictions over 15 years in three countries.

From BBC

"Interstellar used an ice glacier as a stand in for another planet and then there was Batman Begins, Game of Thrones and the Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Ben Stiller," he said.

From BBC

In short, “Toes” is a Walter Mitty story — a shaggy-dog tale about a man whose wild daydreams are at once a coping strategy and a revelation of his character.

From Washington Post

In her work for the 2013 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Greene used antique patterns to outfit Ben Stiller’s character in a 1940s playsuit.

From The Verge

When he talks with powerful men in finance and politics, he said, he falls into a bit of a Walter Mitty trance that he could be living their lives, something they can sense and appreciate.

From New York Times

Related Words

• idealist