dream

1 of 2

noun

ˈdrēm 

often attributive

1

: a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep

had a dream about climbing a mountain

gives me bad dreams

compare rem sleep

2

: an experience of waking life having the characteristics of a dream: such as

a

: a visionary (see visionary entry 1 sense 2a) creation of the imagination : daydream

the dreams of her youth

b

: a state of mind marked by abstraction or release from reality : reverie

walking around in a dream

c

: an object seen in a dreamlike state : vision

a man that was her dream come true

3

: something notable for its beauty, excellence, or enjoyable quality

the new car is a dream to operate

4

a

: a strongly desired goal or purpose

a dream of becoming president

b

: something that fully satisfies a wish : ideal

a meal that was a gourmet's dream

dreamful

ˈdrēm-fəl 

adjective

dreamfully

ˈdrēm-fə-lē 

adverb

dreamfulness noun

dreamless adjective

dreamlessly adverb

dreamlessness noun

dreamlike

ˈdrēm-ˌlīk 

adjective

dream

2 of 2

verb

dreamed ˈdrem(p)t  ˈdrēmd  or dreamt ˈdrem(p)t  ; dreaming ˈdrē-miŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to have a series of thoughts, images, or emotions while sleeping : to have a dream (see dream entry 1 sense 1)

doesn't recall dreaming last night

dream of departed loved ones

2

: to indulge in daydreams or fantasies

dreaming of a better future

3

: to appear tranquil or dreamy (see dreamy sense 3a)

houses dream in leafy shadows

—Gladys Taber

transitive verb

1

: to have a dream of

dreamt that he was running in the woods

2

: to consider as a possibility : imagine

never dreamed I would become a teacher

3

: to pass (time) in reverie or inaction

dreaming the hours away

Phrases

dream of

: to consider possible or fitting

wouldn't dream of disturbing you

Did you know?

Not until the 13th century was our word dream used in the sense of “a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep.” The word itself is considerably older. In Old English dream means “joy,” “noise,” or “music.” Yet the change in meaning did not come from the development of a more specialized sense. Rather it appears that after many Scandinavian conflicts, conquests, and settlements in Britain the Old Norse draumr, meaning “a dream during sleep,” influenced the meaning of the etymologically related, English word. By the end of the 14th century the earlier meanings had been entirely replaced.

Synonyms

Noun

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

Verb

• conceit [chiefly dialect]
• conceive
• conjure (up)
• envisage
• envision
• fancy
• fantasize
• fantasy
• feature
• ideate
• image
• imagine
• picture
• see
• vision
• visualize

Examples of dream in a Sentence

Noun

He had a dream about climbing a mountain.

You were in my dream last night.

I've found the man of my dreams.

They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be so much fun.

If you think the work will be easy, you're living in a dream world.

He has had a lifelong dream of becoming an actor.

It's a dream of mine to own a house in the country.

Tell me your hopes and dreams.

Making it to the Olympics was a dream come true.

Verb

Did it really happen or did I just dream it?

He tends to dream big but he never really does the things he dreams of doing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Otherwise, a ton of talented players got to achieve their dreams this weekend. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025

Readers in some sense rewrite a text, enlarging its scope through their imagination, creating a whole world by bringing into play their skills, their memory, their dreams and their personal history, with all its drama and symbolism. —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025

Verb

But politics comes most alive through the personal, and the heart of the musical lies in its characters’ dreams: those that conflict with others, those that are deferred and, most poignantly, those that are never realized. —Frank Rizzo, Variety, 28 Apr. 2025

The junior at Fullerton Union High dreams of starting her own tap company and elevating the presence of tap in the dance world. —Theresa Walker 2, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English dreem, from Old English drēam noise, joy, and Old Norse draumr dream; akin to Old High German troum dream

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing dream

• American dream
• bad dream
• dream away
• dream catcher
• dream come true
• dream of
• dream on
• dream team
• dream up
• dream vision
• like a dream
• never/not dream of
• pipe dream
• the American dream
• wet dream
• would never dream of
• wouldn't dream of it

Rhymes for dream

• beam
• bream
• cream
• creme
• deem
• gleam
• meme
• ream
• scheme
• scream
• seam
• seem

Kids Definition

dream

1 of 2 noun

ˈdrēm 

1

: a series of thoughts, pictures, or feelings occurring during sleep

2

: a vision created in the imagination : daydream

3

: something notable for its beauty or pleasing quality

4

: a goal that is longed for : ideal

dreamlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

dream

2 of 2 verb

ˈdrēm

dreamed ˈdrem(p)t  ˈdrēmd  or dreamt ˈdrem(p)t  ; dreaming ˈdrē-miŋ 

1

: to have a dream

dreamed about my dog

2

: to spend time having daydreams

3

: to think of as happening or possible : imagine

never dreamed I'd win

dreamer noun

Medical Definition

dream

1 of 2 noun

ˈdrēm 

often attributive

: a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep and especially during REM sleep compare daydream

dream

2 of 2 verb

ˈdrēm 

dreamed ˈdrem(p)t  ˈdrēmd  or dreamt ˈdrem(p)t  ; dreaming ˈdrē-miŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to have a dream

2

: to indulge in daydreams or fantasies

transitive verb

: to have a dream of

dreamer

ˈdrē-mər 

noun