the American dream
noun phrase
variants
or the American Dream
: a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. especially by working hard and becoming successful
With good jobs, a nice house, two children, and plenty of money, they believed they were living the American dream.
Examples of the American dream in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
My grandparents worked hard, played by the rules, and achieved the American dream that enabled their children to succeed.
—
Mike Levin, Orange County Register, 21 May 2024
Even in a frozen housing market, some are living out the American dream by purchasing a home, getting a mortgage, and putting just 3.5% down.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 16 May 2024
But according to Virgie Tovar, who has written books about weight discrimination, that’s an unfair indictment — especially when applied to consumers for whom a trip to McDonald’s might well offer the most accessible version of the American dream.
—Brian Gallagher, New York Times, 12 May 2024
From starting at a gas station in Baltimore to completing my PhD and dedicating years to teaching in public schools, my journey embodies the American dream.
—Baltimore Sun Media, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2024
Business For some, TikTok is a path to riches and the American dream.
—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The allure of island ownership The desire for total control, for undivided ownership, speaks to a deeper yearning for autonomy and freedom, traits deeply embedded in the American dream.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2024
Immigrants, including asylum seekers, migrants, and/or people who have had to move from their home countries due to climate change, insecurity in their country, or a simple desire to participate in the American dream SHOULD be treated in a more humane, ethical, and moral way.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024
Americans revised the idea of the American dream to its current iteration, which was the idea that America has the right circumstances.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Mike Levin, Orange County Register, 21 May 2024
Even in a frozen housing market, some are living out the American dream by purchasing a home, getting a mortgage, and putting just 3.5% down.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 16 May 2024
But according to Virgie Tovar, who has written books about weight discrimination, that’s an unfair indictment — especially when applied to consumers for whom a trip to McDonald’s might well offer the most accessible version of the American dream.
—Brian Gallagher, New York Times, 12 May 2024
From starting at a gas station in Baltimore to completing my PhD and dedicating years to teaching in public schools, my journey embodies the American dream.
—Baltimore Sun Media, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2024
Business For some, TikTok is a path to riches and the American dream.
—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The allure of island ownership The desire for total control, for undivided ownership, speaks to a deeper yearning for autonomy and freedom, traits deeply embedded in the American dream.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2024
Immigrants, including asylum seekers, migrants, and/or people who have had to move from their home countries due to climate change, insecurity in their country, or a simple desire to participate in the American dream SHOULD be treated in a more humane, ethical, and moral way.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024
Americans revised the idea of the American dream to its current iteration, which was the idea that America has the right circumstances.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the American dream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the American dream
Cite this Entry
“The American dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20American%20dream. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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