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
Throughout the movie, Lanthimos doles out pieces of backstory in short, dreamlike sequences that unfurl in black and white, artfully filling in the blanks of Teddy’s particular interest in Michelle.
—
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Mima’s own psyche becomes fractured, a crisis of self-image expressed in frighteningly dreamlike fashion.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Creating an emotional throughline for a film that embraces the lyrical, dreamlike quality of its title gave composer Bryce Dessner enough of a challenge to disrupt how composers usually create a movie score.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
Franco-Chinese painter Xie Lei, known for his dreamlike portraits of ghostly, ambiguous figures adrift in dark spaces, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Prix Marcel Duchamp, France’s most prestigious contemporary art prize.
—News Desk, Artforum, 27 Oct. 2025
The photographs became tableaux, dreamlike reconstructions of youth and landscape.
—Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Following a young woman navigating life after growing up in an orphanage, the film transforms her shrinking apartment into a dreamlike maze of memory and loss, using striking visual metaphors to explore belonging, self-worth, and the fragile hope of starting over.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Droomvlucht is a dreamlike flight that remains one of my favorite dark rides in the world.
—Zachary Laks, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
Filling that hole would have been more alluring had dreamlike options like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel decided to hit the market.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Mima’s own psyche becomes fractured, a crisis of self-image expressed in frighteningly dreamlike fashion.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Creating an emotional throughline for a film that embraces the lyrical, dreamlike quality of its title gave composer Bryce Dessner enough of a challenge to disrupt how composers usually create a movie score.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
Franco-Chinese painter Xie Lei, known for his dreamlike portraits of ghostly, ambiguous figures adrift in dark spaces, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Prix Marcel Duchamp, France’s most prestigious contemporary art prize.
—News Desk, Artforum, 27 Oct. 2025
The photographs became tableaux, dreamlike reconstructions of youth and landscape.
—Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Following a young woman navigating life after growing up in an orphanage, the film transforms her shrinking apartment into a dreamlike maze of memory and loss, using striking visual metaphors to explore belonging, self-worth, and the fragile hope of starting over.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Droomvlucht is a dreamlike flight that remains one of my favorite dark rides in the world.
—Zachary Laks, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
Filling that hole would have been more alluring had dreamlike options like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel decided to hit the market.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreamlike
Adjective
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The video depicts a surreal world where a young man begins seeing the colorful patterns and iconography, like Swedish fish and other candies, that dedicated Candy Crush players will no doubt recognize.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
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Combining the optimism of Don Quixote and Candide became the guide for my main character—an absolutely surreal, absurd optimist, who believes that even things way out of his league are possible for him.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Caroline Carlson is the author of funny and fantastical books for young readers.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Rojas’ play in the ninth was fantastic, but then Andy Pages one-upped him with a leaping catch on Ernie Clement’s long drive to left-center while colliding with Kiké Hernández.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Obviously, Coop — incredible player and somebody who can play really anywhere in the secondary.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
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The shop brings the soul of Long Island’s incredible deli culture upstate, with a menu packed with hot Italian heroes, cold subs, and bagel breakfast sandwiches.—
Cat Sposato,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Even its star, Kim Kardashian, is leaning into the bizarre criticism, posting photos on Instagram of herself laughing along with the rest of the cast, interspersed with scathing reviews.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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And calls like Payton’s bizarre third-and-1 trick play involving Courtland Sutton — a double pass that never came to be — aren’t helping.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreamlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreamlike. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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