Dream vs. Imagination

I'm pretty sure you've come across these two words before. Do you know their similarities and differences? Well, I'm gonna teach you.

What Is Their Main Difference?

Both refer to using one's creativity to create unreal scenarios in their head. However, 'imagination takes place when one is conscious, but 'dreams' are usually in a state of sleep. We use our imagination to escape reality, but dreaming comes naturally and it is not in our control.

Differences

As stated above, 'dreams' usually take place when we are sleeping. If it happens during the day, it is called 'daydreaming'. Dreams are out of our control and they are used as a tool to reflect on oneself. Check out below:

Last night, I had the weirdest dream ever.

Sometimes, I feel that I've seen this country girl in my dreams.

'Imagination', on the other hand, is when someone voluntarily creates a different reality in their head. Most literary works have been made up in the writers' imaginations. Look at the following examples:

Today, the professor asked us to use our imagination and describe a woman in the 1600s.

I miss the younger me because she more time to use her imagination.

Similarities

Both of them refer to creating and seeing unreal visions in one's head. Check out the following examples:

Every time I close my eyes, I see you in my dreams.

Creativity and imagination work harmoniously.

Are They Interchangeable?

Although both refer to a particular mental activity, they cannot be used interchangeably because 'imagination happens voluntarily whereas, 'dreams' come involuntarily. As you can see, both are correct but they are different. Compare:

✓ My imagination is sometimes disrupted due to external noise.

✓ My dream is sometimes disrupted due to external noise.

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