Dream
What it means
Imagine and deeply hope for a future possibility beyond present conditions.
Reach for it when expressing aspiration before a route or outcome is certain
The apprentices dream of opening a cooperative workshop in the empty depot.
Words to choose between 8
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm |
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| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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playful
fantasize
Fits when the imagined possibility is deliberately detached from reality
Careful Fantasize may dismiss a serious and achievable dream.
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everyday
Fits when desire for an outcome is sincere but grounded
Careful Hope can focus on an immediate result rather than an expansive imagined future.
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everyday
Fits when forming the mental picture is the main action
Careful Imagination does not necessarily include personal longing.
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warm
set your sights on
Fits when intention has become goal-directed
Careful Setting sights suggests commitment beyond simply dreaming.
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professional
Fits when committed ambition and self-development are central
Careful Aspire is more formal and usually points toward achievement or status.
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professional
envision
Fits when a future state is pictured strategically
Careful Envision sounds planned and lacks dream's emotional openness.
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formal
conceive
Fits when generating an idea intellectually is the focus
Careful Conceive is cool and says nothing about wanting the result.
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literary
Fits when deep longing outweighs practical possibility
Careful Yearning can feel painful and passive.
Opposites 3
- despair
- dismiss
- abandon
Common phrases 3
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dream of
Many residents dream of swimming in the restored river.
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dare to dream
The scholarship allowed two pupils to dare to dream beyond immediate work.
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dream big
Teachers encouraged the class to dream big and test each idea carefully.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated