the American dream
noun phrase
variants
or the American Dream
: a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. especially by working hard and becoming successful
With good jobs, a nice house, two children, and plenty of money, they believed they were living the American dream.
Examples of the American dream in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a direct message to Trump, Lisbet Avila appealed for a pathway to citizenship for non-violent immigrants who are following the American dream.
—
Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
Insurers say fraud is on the rise, but others argue there’s more to the story.
9:08
With more high-rise buildings than anywhere else in the U.S., New York City has long been a place where millions of people hope to achieve the American dream through careers in the construction industry.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2025
Many of them have lost faith in the American dream.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
There’s an observation at the end that this was the only way for immigrants in the 20th century to grasp at the American dream, an idea that churns within all American gangster movies.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the American dream
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Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
Insurers say fraud is on the rise, but others argue there’s more to the story.
9:08
With more high-rise buildings than anywhere else in the U.S., New York City has long been a place where millions of people hope to achieve the American dream through careers in the construction industry.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2025
Many of them have lost faith in the American dream.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
There’s an observation at the end that this was the only way for immigrants in the 20th century to grasp at the American dream, an idea that churns within all American gangster movies.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the American dream
Cite this Entry
“The American dream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20American%20dream. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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