Word
dreamy
US/ˈdɹimi/
UK/dɹˈiːmi/
Definition
adj. having a magical or beautiful quality, like something from a dream. You can also use it to describe someone who is very attractive or a person who is not paying attention to what is happening around them.
adj. resembling a dream in quality, typically by being pleasantly vague, peaceful, or beautiful. When applied to people, it indicates a state of being preoccupied with pleasant thoughts or, in informal contexts, describes someone as physically attractive.
Examples
“The garden looks dreamy in the morning mist.”
“She had a dreamy look in her eyes as she imagined her upcoming trip to the coast.”
“The film's dreamy cinematography uses soft lighting and slow-motion sequences to blur the line between the protagonist's memories and his current reality.”
Examples
simple
“The garden looks dreamy in the morning mist.”
contextual
“She had a dreamy look in her eyes as she imagined her upcoming trip to the coast.”
complex
“The film's dreamy cinematography uses soft lighting and slow-motion sequences to blur the line between the protagonist's memories and his current reality.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'look' or 'seem'.
Real-World Examples
“The earlier, flowerier works from the 1960s are nice, fuzzy, dreamy things.” Etymology
From dream + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/dreamy