dreamer

1 of 2

noun (1)

dream·​er ˈdrē-mər 

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 

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

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• Don Quixote
• fantast
• idealist
• idealizer
• ideologue
• idealogue
• romantic
• romanticist
• utopian
• visionary

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

Often nobody but the dreamers get hurt when their impossible dreams fall flat. —Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025

Set in the surreal world of 1969 San Fernando Valley, the series follows the Chambers family—led by Hampton (Oyelowo), a dreamer recently released from prison, and his wife Astoria (Missick), whose life evolved in his absence. —Okla Jones, Essence, 16 Apr. 2025

The film follows a young dreamer mistaken for Earth’s ambassador to a cosmic council, blending humor, heart and sci-fi spectacle. —Jamie Lang, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025

Coastal dwellers or dreamers will appreciate the rounded corners that add charm to an otherwise simple set. —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 11 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for dreamer

• beamer
• creamer
• femur
• lemur
• reamer
• schemer
• steamer
• streamer
• redeemer