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.

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American Dream British  

noun

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

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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.

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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 nation’s largest bank announced the “American Dream Initiative”—a commitment to support small businesses, homeownership, access to healthcare and other economic priorities that CEO Dimon believes are crucial for the well-being of Americans.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The American Dream is alive, but it’s slipping out of reach for too many people — and for future generations,” Dimon said in the announcement.

From MarketWatch

“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

Next week we’ll ask: “Do you think society still views owning a home as essential for achieving the American Dream? Why or why not?”

From The Wall Street Journal

The games Finance, Inflation and others thrived during the Great Depression as a fantasy of an American Dream far out of reach for most homes.

From The Wall Street Journal