Wish vs. Dream — What's the Difference?

A wish is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices.

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.

Feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that cannot or probably will not happen

A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep

Want to do something

A cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal

Hope that (someone) has to deal with someone or something undesirable

Experience dreams during sleep

A desire or hope for something to happen

Indulge in daydreams or fantasies about something greatly desired

A feeling that one would like to have or do something or to see something happen; a desire, longing, or strong inclination for a specific thing.

Contemplate the possibility of doing something or that something might be the case

An expression of a desire, longing, or strong inclination

A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

An expression of desire for the happiness or success of another

A daydream; a reverie.

Something desired or longed for

A state of abstraction; a trance

To long for; want.

A condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration

To feel or express a desire for

A wild fancy or unrealistic hope

To order, entreat, or request

(Informal) One that is exceptionally gratifying, excellent, or beautiful

To desire (something bad) to happen to someone

To experience a dream in sleep

To have or feel a desire

To daydream

To express a wish.

To have a deep aspiration or hope

A desire, hope, or longing for something or for something to happen.

To regard something as feasible or practical

An expression of such a desire, often connected with ideas of magic and supernatural power.

To experience a dream of while asleep

The thing desired or longed for.

To conceive as possible; imagine

(Sussex) A water meadow.

To have as an aspiration or hope

(transitive) To desire; to want.

To pass (time) idly or in reverie.

To hope (+ object clause with may or in present subjunctive).

Imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping.

To hope (for a particular outcome), even if that outcome is unlikely to occur or cannot occur.

(figurative) A hope or wish.

(ditransitive) To bestow (a thought or gesture) towards (someone or something).

A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy.

To request or desire to do an activity.

(intransitive) To see imaginary events in one's mind while sleeping.

(transitive) To recommend; to seek confidence or favour on behalf of.

(intransitive) To hope, to wish.

To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker.

(intransitive) To daydream.

To desire; to long for; to hanker after; to have a mind or disposition toward.

(transitive) To envision as an imaginary experience (usually when asleep).

To frame or express desires concerning; to invoke in favor of, or against, any one; to attribute, or cal down, in desire; to invoke; to imprecate.

(intransitive) To consider the possibility (of).

To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of.

Ideal; perfect.

Desire; eager desire; longing.

The thoughts, or series of thoughts, or imaginary transactions, which occupy the mind during sleep; a sleeping vision.

Expression of desire; request; petition; hence, invocation or imprecation.

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.

A thing desired; an object of desire.

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.

A specific feeling of desire;

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.

An expression of some desire or inclination;

To have a dream of; to see, or have a vision of, in sleep, or in idle fancy; - often followed by an objective clause.

(usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare;

A series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep;

The particular preference that you have;

A cherished desire;

Hope for; have a wish;

Imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake;

Prefer or wish to do something;

A fantastic but vain hope (from fantasies induced by the opium pipe);

Have in mind;

A state of mind characterized by abstraction and release from reality;

Make or express a wish;

Someone of something wonderful;

Feel or express a desire or hope concerning the future or fortune of

Have a daydream; indulge in a fantasy

Order politely; express a wish for

Experience while sleeping;

Invoke upon;