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Synonyms

dream up

British  

verb

  1. (tr, adverb) to invent by ingenuity and imagination

    to dream up an excuse for leaving

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

dream up Idioms  
  1. Invent, concoct, as in Count on her to dream up some explanation for her absence. This expression replaced the somewhat earlier dream out. [c. 1940]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The people who dream up the looks that sparkle at high-profile events, and who make sure that even if you don’t feel perfect, you at least look it.

From Los Angeles Times

As a child, I spent so many nights playing tricks on myself, twisting the shadows from trees outside my window into the most terrifying images my mind could dream up.

From Salon

When I thought about all the stuff I had dreamed up about Courtney, I realized that most of it was because of how beautiful she was.

From Literature

The dramatic heavyweight showdown between a pair of global superstars was exactly what Major League Baseball officials imagined when they dreamed up the WBC two decades ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

Glinting under the exhibition centre lights, the gold brooch studded with gemstones on the startup founder's lapel was handmade by Indian artisans -- but artificial intelligence dreamt up its elaborate design.

From Barron's