American Dream

American  

[uh-mer-i-kuhn dreem] / əˈmɛr ɪ kən ˈdrim /

Or American dream

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 British  

noun

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

---

American Dream Cultural  

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.

---

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of American Dream

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

The only nearby, FIFA-endorsed, parking is at the adjacent property, the American Dream Mall and costs $225 per day.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026

“The American Dream means you can buy a home, start a business, you can build wealth, you can afford healthcare for your family,” JPMorgan’s head of government relations, Tim Berry, said in an interview.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

We all want the American Dream, but what that dream is confusing to a lot of people.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

It was the pinnacle of success, the American Dream.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 25, 2025

If this were an American Dream story, Dandy, who arrived in Chicago in the early 1930s, would have found a good job and a pathway to college.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama