Dreamed or Dreamt | Definition, Difference & Example Sentences
Dreamt and dreamed are two different spellings of the past tense of the verb ‘dream’, used to refer to the act of experiencing thoughts or images while asleep or to the act of fantasising while awake. The spelling tends to vary based on whether you are using UK or US English:
- In UK English, both ‘dreamed’ and ‘dreamt’ are commonly used.
- In US English, ‘dreamed’ is standard (though ‘dreamt’ is still acceptable).
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Dreamed up or dreamt up
Dreamed up/dreamt up is the past tense of the phrasal verb ‘dream up’, meaning ‘imagine’ or ‘concoct’. It’s typically used to refer to an idea or plan that’s unusual or unlikely. It means the same whether it is written with the regular ‘-ed’ ending or the irregular ‘-t’ ending.
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