dim and distant dream

7.2

A hope that seems unlikely to come true

noun

Literature

: sueño lejano

Access to clean water is still a dim and distant dream in some remote communities.

Examples

For many people, owning a house in the city is a dim and distant dream.
Isn't it just a dim and distant dream to think we can travel to Mars?
His plans of becoming a famous actor remained a dim and distant dream throughout his life.
He has a dim and distant dream of becoming a famous artist.
Access to clean water is still a dim and distant dream in some remote communities.
For many people, owning a house in the city is a dim and distant dream.
His plans of becoming a famous actor remained a dim and distant dream throughout his life.

Synonyms

pipe dream

vsdim and distant dream

Informal

25 6.8

A hope or plan that is not likely to happen

is a vague faint hope rather than one seen as certainly impossible

mirage

vsdim and distant dream

22 7.7

An idea or hope that seems real but is not possible

is a vague faint aspiration rather than something that only seems real

pie in the sky

vsdim and distant dream

Informal

12 7.5

An idea or plan that is unlikely to happen

is a vague faint aspiration rather than a clearly impractical plan

wet dream

vsdim and distant dream

Slang

10 8.8

An unrealistic hope that is not likely to happen

is a vague faint aspiration described in neutral or standard language

impossible dream

vsdim and distant dream

7 6.8

A hope for something you cannot achieve

is a faint unsure hope rather than one seen as completely impossible

How Likely

plan

∞ 1.0

goal

∞ 1.0

wish

779 1.0

dim and distant dream

Literature

7.2

pipe dream

Informal

25 6.8

Surface Forms

dim and distant dream singular

dim and distant dreams plural

Morphology

dim + and + distant + dream

The meaning is directly compositional from 'dim' (vague/faint) + 'distant' (far-off/unlikely) modifying 'dream' (an aspiration), so a B1 learner who knows the words can infer an aspiration that is faint and unlikely. This is a straightforward adjectival+noun composition common across languages, making the expression immediately interpretable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Dim and distant dream comes from the picture of a small, faint light far away: the words dim and distant make the dream seem weak and out of reach. So, it means a hope that is 'vague' or 'unlikely to happen'.