What Does It Mean if Someone Dreams about You?

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Why we dream about other people, plus possible interpretations

Co-authored by Kari Samuels and Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: November 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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Why might someone dream about you?

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Possible Interpretations

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How do you know if a dream is meaningful?

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Expert Interview

There’s still a lot we don’t understand about what happens in our brains when we’re dreaming, so when someone tells you they dreamed about you, you might wonder if it’s just a coincidence…or if it means something more? To answer your questions, we sat down with Intuitive Counselor and Happiness Coach Kari Samuels and got a deeper understanding of what it means when someone dreams about us and how to tell if a dream is significant or not. Keep reading for the details!

Things You Should Know

Someone might dream about you if they've seen you recently, if they're processing emotions about you, or if you represent an idea they're working through.
When someone dreams about you, it often says more about them than about you, as everything we dream about is a reflection of our own psyche.
A nice dream about you might mean they like or admire you, while a negative dream might signify some underlying fear they have about you.

Section 1 of 3:

Why might someone dream about you?

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Someone might dream about you if they’ve seen you recently. One of the main reasons for dreaming is to help the brain sort through memories. So, if you see someone a lot or have seen them recently, you’re more likely to be on their mind and might make a guest appearance in their dreams.^{[1]
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- This person might be a coworker or your spouse, a stranger you happened to see on the bus, or the star of your favorite TV show.
- Reader Poll: We asked 386 wikiHow readers if they believe that their dreams have meaning, and 66% said yes. [Take Poll] So if you feel that your dreams have special or spiritual meaning, most people agree with you!
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They may dream of you if they’re processing emotions about you. For instance, if you recently went through a difficult breakup, your ex might dream about you, even if they don’t want to be with you anymore.
- Intuitive counselor Kari Samuels says dreamers can analyze the meaning of their dream by asking, “If you had to come up with the first word that you would describe about this person or your relationship with them, what would it be? And that would help you understand what this person in your dreams is trying to tell you.”
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You may symbolize an idea they’re working through. Their dream about you may have nothing to do with you at all—instead, you might symbolize some other idea.^{[2]
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- For example, if they’ve been studying hard for an upcoming test and you’re the top student in your class, you might show up in their dream as a symbol of intelligence or achievement.

Section 2 of 3:

Possible Interpretations of Dreams About You

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If someone has a nice dream about you: A good dream might mean they simply like you. They may admire you as a friend, romantic interest, or colleague and wish to be associated with you. It could also indicate they associate you with certain traits—like intelligence or creativity—that they wished they had themselves.
- To get a better understanding of what the dream means, Samuels advises the dreamer to ask themselves, “‘What is it about them in the dream that I'm attracted to?’ [The dream is] telling you something about what you need to bring into your life now or express in your life now.”
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If they dream about fighting you: Dreaming about fighting you might represent a real-life conflict you're having. If you recently argued or are dealing with an ongoing fight, a dream fight could reflect that.
- A dream about fighting you could also just mean the dreamer is dealing with unprocessed emotions of their own—maybe they actually like you and fear you’ll reject them. Or maybe the dream isn’t about you at all, but about something you represent.
While someone having a sex dream about you might make it seem like they’re into you, it doesn’t always mean this. They might just want to be more intimate with you—even platonically.
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If they dream about you dying: This could mean the dreamer feels distant from you or fears losing you. If you recently moved or became busy with a new job, for instance, the dreamer may wish they could spend more time with you and feel like you've "died."
- Your dream-death could also symbolize a general fear of loss or control. If they're going through a hard time—say, a job loss, or maybe the death of someone else—their grief or anxiety about their lack of control over their life may be reflected in a dream of you dying.
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If your ex dreams about you: It might sound like they’re harboring feelings for you, and that could be true—but often, Kari Samuels says, when you dream about an ex, “then there's something about that relationship that you need to uncover, and process.”
- Your ex dreaming about you could also be their brain’s way of helping them learn lessons from your relationship, which they can bring into future partnerships.

Section 3 of 3:

How do you know if a dream is meaningful?

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If the dreamer feels it’s meaningful, it’s meaningful. Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to this question, but generally speaking, if you have a dream that you can’t shake or that powerfully affects you, it’s worth analyzing.
- Just remember that a dream someone else has about you isn’t really about you—it’s about them. Dream-you may just represent something in their own psyche, and it doesn’t necessarily say anything about you.