daydream

1 of 2

noun

day·​dream ˈdā-ˌdrēm 

: a pleasant visionary usually wishful creation of the imagination

daydreamlike

ˈdā-ˌdrēm-ˌlīk 

adjective

daydream

2 of 2

verb

daydreamed; daydreaming; daydreams

intransitive verb

: to have a daydream

daydreamer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• chimera
• conceit
• delusion
• dream
• fancy
• fantasy
• phantasy
• figment
• hallucination
• illusion
• nonentity
• phantasm
• fantasm
• pipe dream
• unreality
• vision

Examples of daydream in a Sentence

Noun

I drifted off in a daydream during the class.

hoped that one day world peace would be a reality and not just a daydream

Verb

Instead of studying, he spent the afternoon daydreaming about his vacation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

From $635 per night. La Réserve feels a bit like a daydream manifested. —Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025

Zooey Deschanel is living in a Screen Actors Guild Awards daydream. —Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 6 May 2025

Verb

Who hasn’t daydreamed about the ins and outs of their fantasy forever home? —Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 24 June 2025

After 30-plus years in business, Giuseppe Zanotti is still daydreaming about footwear and continues to be in learning mode, committed to grasping the zeitgeist. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1820, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for daydream

• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme
• mainstream
• midstream

Kids Definition

daydream

1 of 2 noun

day·​dream ˈdā-ˌdrēm 

: a dreamy sequence of usually happy or pleasant imaginings

daydream

2 of 2 verb

: to have a daydream

daydreamer noun

Medical Definition

daydream

noun

day·​dream ˈdā-ˌdrēm 

: a visionary creation of the imagination experienced while awake

especially : a gratifying reverie usually of wish fulfillment

daydream intransitive verb

daydreamer noun