dreamer

1 of 2

noun (1)

dream·​er ˈdrē-mər How to pronounce dreamer (audio)
1
: one that dreams
2
a
: one who lives in a world of fancy and imagination
b
: one who has ideas or conceives projects regarded as impractical : visionary

Dreamer

2 of 2

noun (2)

Dream·​er ˈdrē-mər How to pronounce Dreamer (audio)
variants or less commonly dreamer or DREAMer
plural Dreamers also dreamers or DREAMers
: a person living in the United States without legal status who arrived as the child of someone who did not have the documentation required for legal entry or residence
In U.S. medical schools, there are currently 99 Dreamers enrolled, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.Todd Ackerman
The program—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—protects about 700,000 people, known as dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children or came with families that overstayed visas.Mark Sherman
Bipartisan support exists for some form of legal protection for DREAMers, but fights over who should be protected, to what level and what should be included in the overall deal has forced Congress to a standstill.Eliza Collins

Examples of dreamer in a Sentence

Noun (1) I am a realist, but my sister is a dreamer. Some dreamers talk in their sleep to the people in their dreams.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
As the dreamer is chased, attacked, injured or dragged away, Paul is always just there, either passing through or watching unhelpfully from the sidelines. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023 New technology comes from dreamers, but their sheep need to be flesh and blood. WIRED, 3 Nov. 2023 Once a dreamer awakens, their long-term memory regions come back on line. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2023 Her father was a businessman and a dreamer who created hundreds of inventions and founded X-Acto, known for its famous knives, with his brother-in-law. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2023 The real fun, however — and there is much of it — lies in simply watching Gad and Rannells run riot, riff with each other, play with the audience, and just have a grand old time once again playing sweet, deluded dreamers. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 12 Oct. 2023 Most of the time, someone having a nightmare will be indistinguishable from a peaceful dreamer. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2023 Compared to children and adolescents, adults tend to report dreams that feature less physical aggression — and fewer situations in which the dreamer is a victim. Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023 Similarly, relying on anecdotal reports from dreamers after the fact raises the possibility that their recollection of the experience — what’s known as dream recall — can become muddled, too. Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dreamer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate as S.1291 in 2001 but not passed) + -er entry 2, with play on dreamer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

2004, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dreamer was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dreamer

Cite this Entry

“Dreamer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreamer. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

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