dream up

verb

dreamed up or dreamt up; dreaming up; dreams up

transitive verb

: to form in the mind : devise, concoct

Examples of dream up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even his surname sounded like a nickname dreamed up by Seth Rogen or Judd Apatow. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Over the summer, the Commanders’ coach, Dan Quinn, dreaming up ways to make his staff more impervious to pressure, enlisted the help of the intelligence establishment of the United States. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026

Hotel spas meaningfully upped their games and dreamed up elaborate rituals cementing sense of place. — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Irritated by this youthful, overly eager visitor, Highsmith refuses the offer — unless, that is, Ridgeway can dream up the perfect murder along with her. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dream up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup