fever dream

American  

[fee-ver dreem] / ˈfi vər ˌdrim /

noun

1. a particularly distressing, scary, or bizarre dream that a person may have when experiencing a fever.

   Bedridden with pneumonia, he had a fever dream in which bony old cats were climbing the walls of his room.

2. a situation, circumstance, or experience, typically unfavorable, that is odd enough to be likened more to a dream than to reality.

   So far, college has felt like a fever dream—ever since I arrived I’ve just felt so out of place.

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Etymology

Origin of fever dream

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

It is no wonder the image of Cannavaro holding the trophy aloft at the Olympiastadion now feels like a fever dream to most Italians.

From BBC

“There’s a generosity of its history that you’re invited in. It was this fever dream, the whole experience of being there.”

From Los Angeles Times

He wanted to work in the film industry — he thought L.A. would be like a 1970s Jim Morrison fever dream, but found it not as inspiring.

From Los Angeles Times

Cave says, “I sat up in bed and watched it with Bryce’s gorgeous score and fell asleep and had a kind of fever dream with all the images of this extraordinary film, and woke up with the lyrics fully formed, which is extremely unusual for me.”

From Los Angeles Times

It was a fever dream of geopolitical conquest.

From Salon