A dreamer is someone who imagines possibilities beyond their current reality. When you picture yourself becoming a scientist, an artist, or an explorer before you've taken the first step toward that goal, you're being a dreamer. Dreamers see what could be instead of only what is.

The word often describes people with big ambitions or vivid imaginations. The Wright brothers were dreamers who imagined humans could fly when many people thought it was impossible. A dreamer might sketch inventions in a notebook, plan adventures they want to take someday, or envision a better way to solve a problem at school.

Sometimes people use the word to gently criticize someone who seems lost in thought instead of taking action. “Stop being such a dreamer and finish your homework!” a parent might say. People also notice that dreamers who combine their imagination with hard work can accomplish extraordinary things.

Some people use dreamer to mean someone whose imagination leads to real achievement, and daydreamer to mean someone who mostly enjoys pleasant thoughts without acting on them. In everyday speech, though, the two words are often used in similar ways.