Dreaming

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Dreaming" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in various contexts, such as discussing aspirations, thoughts during sleep, or creative processes. Example: "Dreaming of a better future motivates me to work harder every day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Here, the Doctor and Clara found themselves in the north pole being hunted by Dream Crabs, horrid things that attach to your face and induce a dreaming state as they feast on your brain (feasting being how they celebrate the birth of the Dream Crab Messiah).

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The noughties were the decade when people stopped merely dreaming about being travel writers and got involved.

The Guardian - Travel

Today, the sole occupant lives off a couple of cows and herbs, yet looks well enough to provoke admiring gazes from female passengers, perhaps dreaming of their own castaway experience.

The Guardian - Travel

All the time, I had been dreaming of visiting Algeria, of seeing Algiers, the capital of French north Africa.

The Guardian

In the night he had tweeted, "I'm dreaming something about #time and #cock".

The Guardian - Tech

Recent research has eroded the idea that dreaming only occurs during REM sleep, and that it's a "bottom-up' process", with older parts of the brain activating the more recently evolved ones.

The Guardian - Opinion

So, if your boss asks, rather than admit to day dreaming about Christmas Day portion sizes, tell them you're watching some highly informative video news content.

The Guardian

It pictures Mauritania as a kind of limbo, where everyone is waiting, watching, dreaming of going to France or elsewhere.

The Guardian - Film

He has, after all, been dreaming of winning there for 20 of his 26 years.

The Guardian - Sport

Lloris also said that the team Deschamps led to World Cup glory in 1998 in France was a source of encouragement for a generation of players who were dreaming of becoming professional footballers at that time.

The Guardian - Sport

It quickly became clear that people woken during REM had much better recall of their dreams; in fact, they would often say they'd just that moment been dreaming.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "Dreaming" to convey a sense of aspiration or longing, especially when describing future goals or possibilities. For example, "Dreaming of a peaceful retirement is what keeps me motivated."

Common error

Avoid using "Dreaming" in highly formal or technical writing where more precise terms like "envisioning" or "planning" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "Dreaming" is a verb, specifically the present participle of the verb "dream". It functions as part of a continuous verb tense or as a gerund.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Sport

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Travel

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "Dreaming" is a versatile verb form, most often appearing as the present participle of "dream". It is grammatically correct and very common in English, carrying a neutral to slightly informal tone. As Ludwig AI confirms, "Dreaming" commonly describes aspirations, hopes, and imaginings, particularly concerning future possibilities. While appropriate for diverse contexts including news, sports, and personal narratives, it may be less suited for strictly formal or technical writing, where alternatives like "envisioning" or "planning" may provide greater precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Imagining

Focuses on active creation of mental images or scenarios.

Daydreaming

Suggests a pleasant, detached state of mind, often involving wishful thinking.

Envisioning

Suggests a clear and detailed mental picture of something, often a future possibility.

Hoping

Expresses a desire for something to happen, with an element of uncertainty.

Visualizing

Emphasizes the creation of a mental image, often as a technique for achieving a goal.

Aspiring

Highlights the ambition and desire to achieve something.

Wishing

Conveys a strong desire for something, often something unlikely to happen.

Fantasizing

Implies creating elaborate and often unrealistic scenarios in one's mind.

Conceiving

Focuses on the formation of an idea or plan in the mind.

Contemplating

Refers to thinking deeply about something, often with a focus on possible actions.

FAQs

How can I use "Dreaming" in a sentence?

You can use "Dreaming" to describe a state of aspiration, imagination, or wishful thinking. For example, "She was "dreaming of" a vacation on a tropical island."

What are some alternatives to "Dreaming"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "imagining", "envisioning", or "aspiring".

Is it appropriate to use "Dreaming" in formal writing?

While "Dreaming" is grammatically correct, it may be more suitable for informal or creative writing. In formal contexts, consider using more precise terms like "planning" or "forecasting".

What's the difference between "Dreaming" and "Daydreaming"?

"Dreaming" is a broader term referring to any state of aspiration or imagination, while "daydreaming" specifically refers to a pleasant, detached state of wishful thinking during waking hours.