mental masturbation
The term "mental masturbation" is used to describe self-indulgent intellectual activities that lack practical outcomes, often in a critical or pejorative sense.
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Definition
C1General
(slang, informal)Engaging in intellectual activities that are satisfying but lack practical purpose.
Example
- Their debate felt like mental masturbation, with no real solutions being offered.
C1Psychology
(informal, critical)Excessive thinking or discussion that is self-gratifying but unproductive.
Example
- His constant overanalyzing was just mental masturbation, leading to no real decisions.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "mental masturbation":
mental gymnasticsmental gymnastmutual masturbationmind rapejerking off