Fantasy vs. Dream — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 13, 2023
Fantasy is a conscious, imaginative creation, often unreal. Dream is a subconscious experience during sleep, reflecting emotions and memories.
Difference Between Fantasy and Dream
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Fantasy is a product of the conscious mind, deliberately conjured and often based on desires, whims, or aspirations. These imaginative scenarios or tales might not adhere to the boundaries of reality. Dream, conversely, originates in the subconscious realm during sleep, without the intent of the dreamer.
Fantasy is largely directed, meaning an individual can actively choose and modify the narrative or the elements within it. It might be rooted in wishful thinking, entertainment, or even escapism. On the other hand, a dream is typically passive, presenting itself to the dreamer without their conscious control, often drawing from past experiences, emotions, or unresolved thoughts.
Fantasy can serve as a means of exploration, allowing individuals to craft worlds, situations, or outcomes they desire or find intriguing. It can be a brief thought or an elaborate tale. Dreams, in contrast, might provide insights into one's subconscious, revealing fears, hopes, or even past traumas, though their interpretation can be ambiguous.
Fantasy can be shared or kept private, often taking form in books, films, and other mediums. Its main purpose is to entertain, inspire, or provide an avenue for mental escape. Dreams, however, are personal experiences, unique to the dreamer, and can be remembered vividly or forgotten quickly upon waking.
Comparison Chart
Origin
Conscious mind.
Subconscious during sleep.
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Control
Deliberate and directed.
Passive and involuntary.
Basis
Imagination, desires, or escapism.
Memories, emotions, experiences.
Purpose
Entertainment, inspiration, escape.
Reflective of subconscious mind.
Tangibility
Can be written or shared.
Personal and often fleeting upon waking.
Compare with Definitions
Fantasy
Fantasy can be a deliberate daydream or construct.
During the meeting, he drifted into a fantasy about a beach vacation.
Dream
Dream is a subconscious experience during sleep.
Last night, I had a dream that I was flying.
Fantasy
Fantasy is an imaginative creation not bound by reality.
The novel was a fantasy filled with dragons and wizards.
Dream
Dream might carry symbolic meanings or insights.
She often tried to decipher the messages in her dreams.
Fantasy
Fantasy stems from desires, hopes, or whims.
She had a fantasy of traveling the world without constraints.
Dream
Dream is an involuntary mental activity during certain sleep phases.
During REM sleep, he often experienced vivid dreams.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a means of mental escape from the mundane.
After a long day, he lost himself in a fantasy world of his making.
Dream
A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and function of dreams are not fully understood, although they have been a topic of scientific, philosophical and religious interest throughout recorded history.
Fantasy
Fantasy often contains elements of the magical or supernatural.
Her favorite fantasy stories always featured enchanted forests.
Dream
A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep
I had a recurrent dream about falling from great heights
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction set in a fictional universe, often inspired by real world myth and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama.
Dream
A cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal
I fulfilled a childhood dream when I became champion
Fantasy
The faculty or activity of imagining impossible or improbable things
His researches had moved into the realms of fantasy
A fantasy world
Dream
Experience dreams during sleep
I dreamed about her last night
Fantasy
A fantasia.
Dream
Indulge in daydreams or fantasies about something greatly desired
She had dreamed of a trip to America
Fantasy
Imagine the occurrence of; fantasize about
It is ludicrous to fantasy ‘disinventing’ the hydrogen bomb
Dream
Contemplate the possibility of doing something or that something might be the case
I wouldn't dream of foisting myself on you
I never dreamed anyone would take offence
Fantasy
The creative imagination; unrestrained fancy.
Dream
A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.
Fantasy
Something, such as an invention, that is a creation of the fancy.
Dream
A daydream; a reverie.
Fantasy
A capricious or fantastic idea; a conceit.
Dream
A state of abstraction; a trance
Wandering around in a dream.
Fantasy
A genre of fiction or other artistic work characterized by fanciful or supernatural elements.
Dream
A condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration
A dream of owning their own business.
Fantasy
A work of this genre.
Dream
A wild fancy or unrealistic hope
He knew that playing for a professional team was only a dream.
Fantasy
An imagined event or sequence of mental images, such as a daydream, usually fulfilling a wish or psychological need.
Dream
(Informal) One that is exceptionally gratifying, excellent, or beautiful
Her boyfriend is a dream.
Fantasy
An unrealistic or improbable supposition.
Dream
To experience a dream in sleep
Dreamed of meeting an old friend.
Fantasy
(Music) See fantasia.
Dream
To daydream
Sat there dreaming during class.
Fantasy
A coin issued especially by a questionable authority and not intended for use as currency.
Dream
To have a deep aspiration or hope
Dreaming of a world at peace.
Fantasy
(Obsolete) A hallucination.
Dream
To regard something as feasible or practical
I wouldn't dream of skiing on icy slopes.
Fantasy
Relating to or being a game in which participants act as owners of imaginary sports teams whose personnel consists of actual players selected from a professional sports league and team performance is determined by the combined statistics of the players.
Dream
To experience a dream of while asleep
Did it storm last night, or did I dream it?.
Fantasy
To imagine; visualize.
Dream
To conceive as possible; imagine
We never dreamed it would snow so much.
Fantasy
That which comes from one's imagination.
Dream
To have as an aspiration or hope
She dreams that she will become a pilot.
Fantasy
(literature) The literary genre generally dealing with themes of magic and the supernatural, imaginary worlds and creatures, etc.
Dream
To pass (time) idly or in reverie.
Fantasy
A fantastical design.
Dream
Imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping.
Have a dream
Scary dream
Vivid dream
Erotic dream
Feel like a dream
Be in a dream
Fantasy
(slang) The drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid.
Dream
(figurative) A hope or wish.
Have a dream
Fulfil a dream
Harbour a dream
Realize a dream
Fantasy
To fantasize (about).
Dream
A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy.
A dream of bliss
The dream of his youth
Live in a dream
Wake up from a dream
Impossible dream
Fantasy
(obsolete) To have a fancy for; to be pleased with; to like.
Dream
(intransitive) To see imaginary events in one's mind while sleeping.
Fantasy
(transitive) To imagine; to conceive mentally.
Dream
(intransitive) To hope, to wish.
Fantasy
Fancy; imagination; especially, a whimsical or fanciful conception; a vagary of the imagination; whim; caprice; humor.
Is not this something more than fantasy ?
A thousand fantasiesBegin to throng into my memory.
Dream
(intransitive) To daydream.
Stop dreaming and get back to work.
Fantasy
Fantastic designs.
Embroidered with fantasies and flourishes of gold thread.
Dream
(transitive) To envision as an imaginary experience (usually when asleep).
I dreamed I was a superhero and flew through a fireworks show.
Fantasy
To have a fancy for; to be pleased with; to like; to fancy.
Which he doth most fantasy.
Dream
(intransitive) To consider the possibility (of).
I wouldn't dream of snubbing you in public.
Fantasy
Imagination unrestricted by reality;
A schoolgirl fantasy
Dream
Ideal; perfect.
Fantasy
Fiction with a large amount of fantasy in it;
She made a lot of money writing romantic fantasies
Dream
The thoughts, or series of thoughts, or imaginary transactions, which occupy the mind during sleep; a sleeping vision.
Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes.
I had a dream which was not all a dream.
Fantasy
Something many people believe that is false;
They have the illusion that I am very wealthy
Dream
A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy; a vagary; a revery; - in this sense, applied to an imaginary or anticipated state of happiness; as, a dream of bliss; the dream of his youth.
There sober thought pursued the amusing theme,Till Fancy colored it and formed a dream.
It is not them a mere dream, but a very real aim which they propose.
Dream
To have ideas or images in the mind while in the state of sleep; to experience sleeping visions; - often with of; as, to dream of a battle, or of an absent friend.
Dream
To let the mind run on in idle revery or vagary; to anticipate vaguely as a coming and happy reality; to have a visionary notion or idea; to imagine.
Here may we sit and dreamOver the heavenly theme
They dream on in a constant course of reading, but not digesting
Dream
To have a dream of; to see, or have a vision of, in sleep, or in idle fancy; - often followed by an objective clause.
Your old men shall dream dreams
At length in sleep their bodies they compose,And dreamt the future fight
And still they dream that they shall still succeed
Dream
A series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep;
I had a dream about you last night
Dream
A cherished desire;
His ambition is to own his own business
Dream
Imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake;
He lives in a dream that has nothing to do with reality
Dream
A fantastic but vain hope (from fantasies induced by the opium pipe);
I have this pipe dream about being emperor of the universe
Dream
A state of mind characterized by abstraction and release from reality;
He went about his work as if in a dream
Dream
Someone of something wonderful;
This dessert is a dream
Dream
Have a daydream; indulge in a fantasy
Dream
Experience while sleeping;
She claims to never dream
He dreamt a strange scene
Dream
Dream can reflect past memories, emotions, or thoughts.
The dream reminded her of her childhood home.
Dream
Dream can be vivid or hazy, logical or surreal.
He struggled to recall the bizarre dream from the previous night.
Common Curiosities
Are all dreams a reflection of reality?
Not necessarily; dreams can be surreal or unrelated to real-life events.
Is it common to forget dreams upon waking?
Yes, many people forget their dreams quickly after waking up.
What's the key distinction between fantasy and dream?
Fantasy is a conscious imaginative creation, while dream is a subconscious experience during sleep.
Can fantasies be shared with others?
Absolutely, fantasies can be expressed through stories, art, or simply shared in conversation.
Why do some people create fantasies?
Fantasies can serve as escapism, entertainment, or a means to explore desires.
Is fantasy exclusive to fiction?
No, while common in fiction, fantasy can be any imaginative construct, fictional or personal.
Can you control a fantasy?
Yes, fantasies are often directed and modified by the individual.
Can a fantasy become a dream?
Yes, sometimes thoughts or fantasies during wakefulness can appear in dreams.
Can external factors influence dreams?
External stimuli, like sounds or temperature, can sometimes be incorporated into dreams.
Can dreams have meaning or symbolism?
Some believe dreams carry symbolism or subconscious insights, though interpretations vary.
Is it normal to have recurring fantasies?
Yes, people often have recurring fantasies based on persistent desires or thoughts.
Do everyone dream every night?
Most people dream nightly, but they might not always remember them.
Do dreams occur only during specific sleep stages?
Most vivid dreams occur during REM sleep, but dreaming can happen in other stages too.
Can certain foods or medications affect dreams?
Some substances might influence the nature or intensity of dreams.
Is it possible to live entirely in a fantasy world?
While some might retreat to fantasy as a coping mechanism, it's essential to engage with reality.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
