Dreamed vs. Dreamt: Open Your Eyes to the Difference

By
, Staff Writer
Updated February 26, 2021
dreamed vs dreamt meaning examples
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    dreamed vs dreamt meaning examples
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Learn whether you should use dreamed vs. dreamt in a sentence. Get a clear understanding of what the difference is between dreamed and dreamt. See why British English might prefer dreamt vs. dreamed.

Should You Use Dreamed or Dreamt?

When it comes to using dreamed vs. dreamt, you might be surprised to find out there is a bit of controversy. Dreamed and dreamt are both past tense versions of the word dream. Dreamt is used by Brits in the past tense. Dreamed, however, is the preferred past tense of dream used by Americans. But, overall, dreamed is the preferred past tense version. Let’s look at these words in a bit more detail to truly understand whether you dreamed or dreamt about that new car last night.

Meaning of Dreamed

In American English, dreamed, pronounced “dreemd,” is the past tense of the verb dream. You typically dream at night while you are sleeping, but you can also dream during the day as in a daydream. Whatever the case, when making dream past tense, American English goes with the regular form by adding the -ed at the end to create dreamed. See how the word dreamed is used in a few different sentence examples.

Using Dreamed in a Sentence

Dreamed can be a fun word to use in a past tense sentence. You see it both in everyday writing and literature.

  • I dreamed of a new race car last night.
  • You won’t believe what I dreamed about!
  • She dreamed of walking on a yellow brick road.
  • In his sleep, he dreamed of becoming a wizard and fighting dragons.
  • I can’t really remember what I dreamed about last night.
  • When they started explaining what they had dreamed about, it was surprisingly similar.
  • He closed his eyes and dreamed of faraway places.
  • As she dreamed, she started being chased by Endermen.
  • When she woke up, the world she had dreamed about bothered her for the rest of the day.
  • He would have rather not dreamed such a scary nightmare.

Dreamt Meaning and Pronunciation

Like dreamed, dreamt, pronounced “dremt,” is used in British English as the past tense form of dream; however, it can also be used to denote hopeful dreams or ambitions in a literary sense. Therefore, it shows the past tense of the events that happen at night while you go to dreamland and hopeful dreams someone might have.

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Using Dreamt in a Sentence

Ready to see the word dreamt in action. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these fun and unique sentences using dreamt.

  • I dreamt of becoming a teacher when I was young.
  • He dreamt of her last night.
  • The boy dreamt of becoming a wizard.
  • I often dreamt about what it would be like to fly.
  • When he dreamt last night, he went to another world.
  • She dreamt of what it would be like to become an elf.
  • That night, she dreamt of talking to her crush.
  • They dreamt of winning the competition.
  • I often dreamt of what it would be like if my letter came by owl.

Dreamed vs. Dreamt: It’s More Than a Dream

When it comes to whether you should use dreamed or dreamt in a sentence, you’ll be astounded to know that both are correct. That’s right! You can use both dreamed or dreamt as the past tense of dream. The one you choose depends on where you live. Additionally, if you are talking about a hopeful dream, dreamt might be more what you are looking for. Interested in learning about more language variations in English, you might look at recurring vs. reoccurring to keep with the dream theme. Or, if you're making your dream of getting married a reality, you might want to know the difference between fiancé vs. fiancée.