reveries: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Literary, formal, sometimes poetic.
Quick answer
What does “reveries” mean?
A state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream.
A fanciful or impractical idea or theory; a period of aimless musing or fantasizing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in British literary contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties share connotations of wistfulness, nostalgia, and gentle fantasy.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech in both regions; primarily found in written and formal spoken contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “reveries” in a Sentence
She was lost in [her] reveries.The music induced a state of pleasant reveries.He often slipped into reveries about the past.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “reveries” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She reveried about the upcoming holiday.
American English
- He reveried about winning the championship.
adverb
British English
- He stared reverie-ly out of the window.
American English
- She smiled reverie-ly at the memory.
adjective
British English
- She had a reverie-filled afternoon.
American English
- His reverie state was obvious to everyone.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in a metaphorical context about strategic thinking: 'The CEO's reveries about market domination were interrupted by the quarterly report.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, psychology, and philosophy to describe a character's or subject's state of mind.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation. Might be used humorously or self-consciously: 'Sorry, I was off in my reveries.'
Technical
In psychology, may refer to a waking dream state or dissociative experience.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “reveries”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “reveries”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “reveries”
- Using as a singular countable noun (*a reveries). Correct: 'a reverie' / 'reveries'.
- Confusing spelling: 'reveries' not 'reverys' or 'reverees'.
- Using in overly casual contexts where 'daydreams' would be more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, but not exclusively. It implies pleasant absorption, but can sometimes have a melancholy or wistful tone (e.g., 'reveries of lost opportunities').
'Reverie' is more literary and suggests a more passive, drifting state. 'Daydream' is more common and can imply a more structured, narrative fantasy.
Typically, reveries are presented as states one 'falls into' or 'is lost in,' suggesting they arise spontaneously rather than being deliberately directed.
It is a formal or literary word. In everyday speech, 'daydreams' is far more common.
A state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts.
Reveries: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɛv(ə)riːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɛvəriːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Lost in reverie”
- “A reverie state”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of REVERIES as RE-VERY-es. You are 'very' deep in thought again and again (re-).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MIND IS A LANDSCAPE (wandering in the landscape of one's thoughts). THOUGHT IS A FLUID (being immersed in or carried away by reveries).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'reveries' correctly?