Grammar fix
dream up
invent an imaginative idea
To invent an unusual or imaginative idea, plan, name, or excuse.
phrasal verb
How oftenCommon
LevelB2
Used inSpeech & writing
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
The children dreamed up a treasure hunt for their friends.
My cousin once dreamed up a plan to turn an old bus into a mobile café, although it never really happened.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: She dreamed a new campaign.
Say: She dreamed up a new campaign.
'Dream up' needs 'up' when you mean invent or imagine something.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Create a new idea, plan or excuse
How imaginativePracticalFar-fetched
come up withProducing an idea, plan, or solution when one is needed.think upInventing an idea, plan, name, or excuse.
dream upYou're here · Inventing something imaginative, unusual, or implausible.