Meaning & use
not a pipe dream
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
A realistic goal that can actually be achieved, not just an impossible hope.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb, usually 'be': 'It is not a pipe dream.' It keeps the negative 'not' and cannot drop it without reversing the meaning.
Patterns
- something is not a pipe dream
- it is not a pipe dream that ...
Cheap clean energy for every home is not a pipe dream anymore.
The coach told the team that winning the title was not a pipe dream if they trained hard.
Her idea of running a farm sounded wild, but it was not a pipe dream.
Common combinations
- is not a pipe dream
- For many students, studying abroad is not a pipe dream.
- no longer a pipe dream
- Self-driving cars are no longer a pipe dream.
- prove that something is not a pipe dream
- The pilot project proved that the idea was not a pipe dream.
Synonyms and how they differ
- realistic
- A plain adjective for something achievable; 'not a pipe dream' is more idiomatic and stresses the contrast with a hopeless fantasy.
- achievable
- Focuses on being possible to reach; 'not a pipe dream' often implies people doubted it before.
Opposites
Word family
- pipe dream noun
- An impossible hope or plan that will never happen.
Commonly confused: not a pipe dream or daydream?
not a pipe dream vs daydream
A daydream is a pleasant fantasy you have while awake; a pipe dream is an unrealistic plan or hope for the future.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'not a pipe dream' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase follows a linking verb and describes a goal, as in 'Moving to Japan is not a pipe dream.' Option A wrongly uses it as a verb, and option C wrongly makes it describe a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “not a pipe dream”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.