as in trance
the state of being lost in thought
if you're bored while traveling, daydreaming is a perfectly normal state to be in, regardless of what the road signs say
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as in dreaming
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Recent Examples of daydreaming
Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2026
These cuts enable us to spend more time daydreaming and less time in the salon.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
Filmmaking is blind instinct, petty calculations, smooth generalship, daydreaming, pig-headedness, grace, bluff, risk.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
The colorful flowers are perfect for a photo-op or casual daydreaming.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Those daydreaming of taking in the sweeping sunrise vistas across Middle Harbour just got lucky because one of the most significant abodes on the street just surfaced on market for the first time in over four decades.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2025
This is a train ride for daydreaming, drawing, reading, playing cards, or any other low-tech pursuit.
—Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Maladaptive daydreaming is a form of intense daydreaming characterized by the creation of unrealistic or fantastical situations, conversations, or stories in one’s own mind that are outside the realm of a person’s day-to-day life.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
In the album’s most beautiful moments, Triplin makes arpeggios sound like prancing through an earthly paradise and sands off juke’s rough edges to produce rhythms that seem to chug along in the margins of a daydreaming brain.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2026
These cuts enable us to spend more time daydreaming and less time in the salon.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
Filmmaking is blind instinct, petty calculations, smooth generalship, daydreaming, pig-headedness, grace, bluff, risk.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
The colorful flowers are perfect for a photo-op or casual daydreaming.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Those daydreaming of taking in the sweeping sunrise vistas across Middle Harbour just got lucky because one of the most significant abodes on the street just surfaced on market for the first time in over four decades.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2025
This is a train ride for daydreaming, drawing, reading, playing cards, or any other low-tech pursuit.
—Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Maladaptive daydreaming is a form of intense daydreaming characterized by the creation of unrealistic or fantastical situations, conversations, or stories in one’s own mind that are outside the realm of a person’s day-to-day life.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daydreaming
Noun
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In that film, unassuming victims are put into a hypnotic trance by a psychic killer to then do his murdering for him, only for that violence to become even more contagious.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
25 Mar. 2026
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Then, the repetitive descending melody is interrupted and restarts; in this musical rupture the trance is broken.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kundrat, who was also a receiver for the Porters’ football team the last two seasons, grew up dreaming of playing collegiate and professional hockey.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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Fans are dreaming of Barbara Eden's skincare secrets.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The family car is a Mazda, but Zac daydreams of a Bugatti Veyron.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
-
More than masturbatory daydreams, Vladimir inspires our heroine to write with abandon, ignoring professional and personal obligations in service to her muse.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Its arrival in this sizzling Fire sign shifts the tone from dreamy introversion to active manifestation.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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Jetting off to a dreamy seaside destination already comes with plenty of perks, including gorgeous views, ocean breezes, and usually some sand between your toes.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hedda’s romantic picture — of Lovborg dying magnificently, with Dionysian vine leaves in his hairs, from a bullet of one of her own guns — smacks of the same literary cliches that has Emma fantasizing about a torchlight wedding at midnight.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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When her daughter was born in December, Ivanova called her Yustyna – the name the couple picked together when fantasizing about having children.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Big horizons meet daily realities as the instinctive Moon explores your pensive 9th house and squares Jupiter in your sensible 6th house.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
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Gonzalez describes him as serious, pensive, charming and easy to like.—
Vanessa Murdock,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But reflection on those few hours of celebration — that wild scramble to enjoy the moment, yet hurry to get everyone ready to go home — left the Dodgers envisioning one of the few things this contemporary dynasty has yet to accomplish.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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McArn advocated for the contract by saying repeatedly that the district needed help helping itself — envisioning a partnership between the consultants and central office staff to better understand the problem and start implementing solutions.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Unabsorbed calcium leaves the body through stool, and absorbed calcium that isn't needed may be filtered by the kidneys and leave in urine—often within about a day.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
11 Mar. 2026
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The absorbed or scattered light creates a unique pattern called the spectrum, which is effectively the substance’s fingerprint.—
Ambuj Tewari,
The Conversation,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Daydreaming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daydreaming. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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