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
Here is a detailed cost breakdown of the American dream — which everyone defines differently.
—
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
She was sold the American dream with a farmworker visa.
—ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
The vast majority of citizens no longer trust that hard work pays off and belief in the American dream has hit a record low.
—John Hope Bryant, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Payam Zamani’s story reads like the American dream—one that begins with his escape from religious persecution in Iran as a teenager and culminates, years later, with ringing the bell at NASDAQ.
—Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the American dream
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Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
She was sold the American dream with a farmworker visa.
—ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
The vast majority of citizens no longer trust that hard work pays off and belief in the American dream has hit a record low.
—John Hope Bryant, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Payam Zamani’s story reads like the American dream—one that begins with his escape from religious persecution in Iran as a teenager and culminates, years later, with ringing the bell at NASDAQ.
—Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 28 Sep. 2025.
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