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Dream Idioms
English blogVocabulary

13 Dream Idioms

3 min read

Dream Idioms and What They Mean

Dreams are often linked to hopes, wishes, and possibilities. Dream idioms use the word “dream” to express ambition, imagination, surprise, or moments that feel almost unreal.

Living the dream

Enjoying an ideal or desirable life.

With a remote job and plenty of travel, she felt she was living the dream.
He bought a small farmhouse in the mountains and now he’s living the dream.

Beyond your wildest dreams

Better than you ever imagined.

Their success was beyond their wildest dreams.
The view from the top was beyond my wildest dreams.

Never in your wildest dreams

Something so unlikely or surprising that you never imagined it.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d meet a famous actor.
She said she would never in her wildest dreams have expected such an opportunity.

A dream come true

Something wonderful you hoped for finally happens.

Visiting Japan was a dream come true for her.
Getting accepted into the program felt like a dream come true.

In your dreams!

A joking or sarcastic way to say “That will never happen.”

– Can I borrow your car?
– In your dreams!
He said he’d beat her in chess—she replied, “In your dreams!”

Dream on

A casual way to dismiss someone’s unrealistic idea.

– I’ll be the next CEO.
– Dream on.
She said she’d finish in an hour, and he just laughed and said, “Dream on.”

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Pipe dream

An unrealistic hope or plan.

Owning a castle is just a pipe dream for most people.
His plan to retire at thirty seemed like a pipe dream.

A dreamer

Someone who thinks about big ideas rather than practical realities.

He’s always been a dreamer, imagining future inventions.
She called him a dreamer because he spent hours planning impossible projects.

Chase your dreams

Try to achieve your biggest goals.

She moved abroad to chase her dreams of becoming an artist.
He encouraged his son to chase his dreams, no matter how challenging.

Follow your dreams

Pursue what you truly want in life.

She quit her job to follow her dreams of opening a bakery.
He always told others to follow their dreams and never give up.

Dream big

Aim for large or ambitious goals.

She encouraged her students to dream big about their future.
He told her to dream big and apply for the job she really wanted.

Off in dreamland

Not paying attention; lost in thought.

During the meeting, he was completely off in dreamland.
She didn’t hear the question because she was off in dreamland.

Daydream

Imagine pleasant things instead of focusing on reality.

He spent the afternoon daydreaming about his next trip.
She often daydreams when she’s bored in class.

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