What's the past tense of "dream"?
The simple past tense of dream can be either dreamed or dreamt, and the past participle is also dreamed or dreamt. US English prefers "dreamed" while UK English favors "dreamt."
Definition of dream
According to Merriam-Webster, dream as a verb means "to have a series of thoughts, images, or emotions while sleeping" or "to consider as a possibility; imagine." It's used to describe the experience of mental imagery during sleep or the act of imagining something.
- The past tense of dream is dreamed or dreamt.
- The past participle of dream is dreamed or dreamt.
Verb forms of 'dream'
Is "dream" a regular or irregular verb?
The verb dream can be either regular or irregular, depending on which form you use. Dreamed is the regular form (ending in -ed), while dreamt is the irregular form. Both are correct, with American English preferring "dreamed" and British English favoring "dreamt."
When to use "dreamed" vs. "dreamt"
I dreamed of flying over the mountains. (US preference)
She had dreamt of this moment her whole life. (UK preference)
Both forms are grammatically correct for simple past tense and present or past perfect), it requires an auxiliary verb like have, has, or had. The simple past doesn't use a helper verb since it's a complete tense, so either form can stand alone in sentences, whereas participles require an auxiliary verb.
Similar irregular verbs
Sentence examples: dream, dreamed/dreamt, dreamed/dreamt
• I often dream about my future.
• She dreams of becoming a successful writer someday.
• They dream of starting their own business.
• I dreamed of flying last night.
• She dreamt about her childhood home and woke up feeling nostalgic.
• The movie was so boring that I fell asleep and dreamed about something else.
• I have dreamed of visiting Paris since I was a child.
• He had often dreamt of discovering a cure for the disease.
• They have dreamed together of building a life here.
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for dream
Nearby phrases
Origin of the verb, dream
mid-13c., probably related to Old Norse draumr, Danish drøm, Swedish dröm, Old Saxon drom "merriment, noise," Old Frisian dram "dream."
Practice: Dreamed or Dreamt?
Last night, I ______ I could fly over the city.
She had often ______ of a future where she would be a famous writer.
He never ______ he would win the lottery.
In British English, it is common to say you ______ of something.
They ______ up a plan to surprise their friend on her birthday.
FAQs
Is "dreamed" or "dreamt" correct?
What's the past participle of "dream"?
Is "dream" a regular or irregular verb?
How is "dream" used in different tenses?
What are common phrases with "dream"?
Sources
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"Dream." Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Inc. Date of access 15 Oct. 2025.
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"Dream." Etymology Online. Douglas Harper. Date of access 15 Oct. 2025.
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