Building castles in air is a phrase commonly used to describe a situation where someone dreams or plans unrealistic things without taking any practical actions to achieve them. Antonyms for this phrase can be seen as people who are pragmatic and realistic in their approach to life. Such people are focused on setting practical goals, creating strategies, and taking action towards achieving them. They are also down-to-earth, grounded, and sensible, and they are not given to dreaming about things that are unattainable. In general, building castles in the air is the opposite of setting achievable goals and taking practical steps to reach them.