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
This reinforces the song’s message of inclusivity and the ongoing pursuit of the American dream.
—
Holly Alvarado, Orange County Register, 27 June 2024
In many ways, meritocracy is a core part of the American dream.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 June 2024
This order is about one simple thing: should people who have long lived in the United States, who have built lives here with American citizen spouses and very often children, pursuing their own version of the American dream, be allowed to access the process that they are legally entitled to anyway?
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 June 2024
In the competitive realm of entrepreneurship, few people stand out as vividly as Stephen Scoggins, whose rise from homelessness to a serial 9-figure entrepreneur embodies the quintessence of the American dream.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the American dream 
Holly Alvarado, Orange County Register, 27 June 2024
In many ways, meritocracy is a core part of the American dream.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 June 2024
This order is about one simple thing: should people who have long lived in the United States, who have built lives here with American citizen spouses and very often children, pursuing their own version of the American dream, be allowed to access the process that they are legally entitled to anyway?
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 June 2024
In the competitive realm of entrepreneurship, few people stand out as vividly as Stephen Scoggins, whose rise from homelessness to a serial 9-figure entrepreneur embodies the quintessence of the American dream.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the American dream
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the American dream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the American dream
Cite this Entry
“The American dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20American%20dream. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share