American Dream

Or A·mer·i·can dream

[uh-mer-i-kuhn dreem]

noun

1. a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the United States.

   I want to find a decent job, buy a house, have a family, and live the American dream.

2. the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American.

   The American Dream even allows us to criticize America, as part of our freedom of speech.

American Dream

noun

1. the notion that the American social, economic, and political system makes success possible for every individual

American Dream

1. A phrase connoting hope for prosperity and happiness, symbolized particularly by having a house of one's own. Possibly applied at first to the hopes of immigrants, the phrase now applies to all except the very rich and suggests a confident hope that one's children's economic and social condition will be better than one's own.

Word History and Origins

Origin of American Dream¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

For a majority of people in the U.S., the “American Dream” no longer rings true.

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It was the pinnacle of success, the American Dream.

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"Theirs was the ultimate love story - Isidor epitomised the American Dream, rising from humble immigrant to a titan of the New York establishment, owning Macy's department store," a spokesperson for the auction house said.

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Appeared in the November 10, 2025, print edition as 'The New American Dream: Living for Less Overseas'.

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Economic fairness — challenging a rigged system that serves the rich and erodes the American Dream — is a winning message.

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When To Use

What is the American Dream?

The American Dream is the aspirational belief in the U.S. that all individuals are entitled to the opportunity for success and upward social mobility through hard work.