as in surreal
seeming to exist in a dream; like a dream
Her photographs have a dreamlike quality.
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Recent Examples of dreamlike
Most striking, though, is the deep, almost luminescent blue of the walls, casting the room in a curious, dreamlike glow.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Add on top of that a selection of surrealist furniture and decor items, a trove of antique pieces, and some contrasting industrial materials, and her designs land somewhere in a dreamlike realm that’s part Dalí painting and part Barbie Dreamhouse.
—Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 19 Apr. 2026
Brahms’ shifting rhythms are dreamlike and inscrutable, and Tetzloff handled them with care.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Featuring dynamic performances, dreamlike symbolic imagery, and a six-minute dialogue-free conducting scene, Maestro is essentially catnip for film lovers and classical movie enthusiasts alike.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026
German Expressionism and Surrealism, deemed degenerate by Nazis and Soviets alike, show up in stylized figuration, spatial distortion, and a dreamlike atmosphere.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Their romance emerges alongside the dreamlike atmosphere of the mysterious circus, their illusions becoming a way to communicate with each other.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
What follows is a sweetly oblique, even dreamlike interlude of recuperation.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
That dreamlike state sets in after the crash, from the moment that roadside woman, whose name turns out to be Betty (Barbara Auer), rushes up to help.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Add on top of that a selection of surrealist furniture and decor items, a trove of antique pieces, and some contrasting industrial materials, and her designs land somewhere in a dreamlike realm that’s part Dalí painting and part Barbie Dreamhouse.
—Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 19 Apr. 2026
Brahms’ shifting rhythms are dreamlike and inscrutable, and Tetzloff handled them with care.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Featuring dynamic performances, dreamlike symbolic imagery, and a six-minute dialogue-free conducting scene, Maestro is essentially catnip for film lovers and classical movie enthusiasts alike.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026
German Expressionism and Surrealism, deemed degenerate by Nazis and Soviets alike, show up in stylized figuration, spatial distortion, and a dreamlike atmosphere.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Their romance emerges alongside the dreamlike atmosphere of the mysterious circus, their illusions becoming a way to communicate with each other.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
What follows is a sweetly oblique, even dreamlike interlude of recuperation.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
That dreamlike state sets in after the crash, from the moment that roadside woman, whose name turns out to be Betty (Barbara Auer), rushes up to help.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreamlike
Adjective
-
Elaborate stages are built for the camera close-ups as much as the crowd, often featuring prefab cinematic interludes, ornately detailed costumes, titillating dance moves and surreal, maximalist graphics.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The White House press briefing room took on a surreal appearance as the speakers and interrogators dressed in tuxedoes and evening gowns for one of the most elegant and anticipated parties of the year became a crime scene instead.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Positioning herself as a character in her fantastical stories gives her audience someone to root for while creating some distance between fiction and reality.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 May 2026
-
Major motion pictures require literally thousands of specialists to make visions – fantastical, realistic, outlandish – come alive and be globally seen.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Spurs led by as much as 20 in the fourth quarter, which is an incredible turnaround.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
No, that stuff is all incredible and very much the result of good fortune in my career.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Upset over a bizarre technical foul in Game 2, Booker unloaded on the refs, particularly James Williams.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The New York Giants had a completely bizarre draft on Thursday – one that even left star wide receiver Malik Nabers visibly frustrated during his own simulcast with Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons.—
Ryan Gaydos OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dreamlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreamlike. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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