the American dream

noun phrase

variants or the American Dream
: a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. especially by working hard and becoming successful
With good jobs, a nice house, two children, and plenty of money, they believed they were living the American dream.

Examples of the American dream in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Car ownership has long been integral to the American dream. Alexa St. John, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026 Both men argue one-party Democratic rule of California has destroyed a state once viewed as the epitome of the American dream. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 On when the American dream came to Africa. Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026 Zsuzsanna had seen her brother's love for the glittery side of the American dream. Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the American dream

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Cite this Entry

“The American dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20American%20dream. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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