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Dreaming of a Dead Person – 20 Scenarios and Possible Interpretations

A dream in which a deceased loved one appears can be healing, worrying, or even frightening. It’s one of the most memorable dreams we have, although this type of dream does not necessarily have to be a nightmare.  

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The interpretation of this dream scenario depends on the situation and the details that you saw in the dream. 

What does it mean to dream of the deceased? There are many interpretations of this dream. Let’s take a closer look. 

Dreaming of the Deceased 

dreaming of the deceased

We can dream of a person who is dead in so many ways:  

  • They are dying again in a dream 
  • They want to tell us something 
  • They want to give us something 
  • Perhaps they’re a stranger and we don’t even know them 
  • Someone alive in reality died in your dream 

These dreams can tug at your heartstrings, and make you feel wistful, sad, regretful, or even fearful. Here are some reasons you may have had this dream. 

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1. Your Heart is Missing Someone 

To dream of a deceased person, whether they are almost dead or have been for many years, usually means that the person was quite dear to you and that you miss them. It does not necessarily mean that every dream with the deceased has a bad omen. 

2. You Are Going Through a Transition 

If you dream of someone dead, it may indicate that you are going through major changes in your life, or that transitions are yet to come, because death is nothing but a transition from this world to another world (or state of being). 

In reality, dreaming of a deceased person can mean that you are about to move, a new job, a marriage, a new relationship, or the birth of a child – something that will change your life. 

3. Seeing a Dead Person Happy in a Dream 

If you saw a happy deceased person who was appreciated and respected during their life, it is a very good sign. This means that a period is coming for you in which you will be joyful and successful. 

Maybe soon you will receive some good news that will make you happy and bring some benefits. If you dreamed of a dead person who was alive and happy in the dream, it is a sign of huge changes in your life coming your way. 

It may be a change of workplace, changes in your relationship with people, or changes in your way of thinking and acting. If a deceased person happily tells you in a dream that they are alive, this announces some news. 

When you dream that you are hugging a happy deceased person, it is a good sign that some positive events await you soon. If in a dream the deceased entered your home smiling and happy, it means that you will make progress in the business. 

If the deceased were laughing in a dream, it means that their life will improve and become better soon. This also implies that you are on the right track. If a dead person who is unknown to you was smiling at you in a dream, this may indicate a possible danger in which you will find yourself. 

If you dreamed of your deceased parents, it can talk about problems in the family, but if in reality, your parents are alive and happy, it means that they are proud of you and support you in everything. 

4. Dreaming of a Person Laughing With You 

blanket ghost

When you dream of a person laughing with you, it is essentially a great sign. 

The interpretation of the dream does not depend on whether you spent a lot of time laughing with this person in reality, nor on their presence or absence in this world. 

This is a great sign for your business adventures. You will give your best and you will focus all your attention on your goals, and you may need the help of others to achieve them successfully. 

The other interpretation of the dream may be related to the identity of the person you dreamed about. 

If you know the person from the dream and if you loved them, that dream has a positive meaning. Originally, you have good emotions towards that person, so this kind of dream has a good effect on you and arouses good emotions. 

The dream can also mean that the person in the dream is smiling at you because they have good intentions towards you and you are very dear to them. 

5. Dead Person Talking to You in a Dream 

Unfortunately, if you dream that the deceased demands something from you, it is a bad omen. In the future, some failure may happen to you and you will have losses. 

This type of dream gives you time to prepare for what will happen and you will know that you should not start new things in this period because they will be doomed to failure. 

Dreaming of the deceased and how you talk to them can be interpreted as asking someone smarter than you for advice. That you need someone’s support and you don’t know exactly how to act in a given situation. 

It all depends on what kind of conversation you had and whether you remember what the deceased said to you. If they advised you in a dream, listen to their advice. And if you were not told anything concrete in your dream, do not attach too much importance to it. 

There is another interpretation and it can mean that there is a lot of negative energy around you. That you should beware of certain people because they do not wish you well, or that there is someone toxic near you. 

6. Dreams of Walking With a Dead Person 

Dreams of the walking with dead represent people you miss a lot and what you used to do together. Maybe life took you far away from your hometown, where you have friends, parents, relatives, and the like, so now you feel nostalgic and sad. Although you are aware that you will see them again sometime, that is not enough for you. That’s why you wonder every day if this decision to leave was right and worth such a loss.  

If the dead are walking away from you it could signify that you should be careful with your belongings and be mindful of not getting robbed or losing your travel documents. 

It can also mean that you are suspecting that your partner might leave you. The other interpretation is that you should just let them go and rest in peace, don’t be trapped in the past because it won’t do you any good. 

If you were walking together and you dreamed that that person was smiling at you, it means that they are fine and now just want you to move on and that you should not keep on walking with them. Come to terms with the fact that now all that is behind you and continue freed. 

7. To Dream of The Deceased Dying Again 

Often when we dream of deceased persons in a dream, they die again in our dreamscape. It shows that the death of that person was traumatic for us, that we still haven’t gotten over someone’s death, and that we are still in mourning. 

However, in folk interpretations, dreaming of the deceased dying again can have the opposite meaning. It is believed that this means that the deceased person no longer feels that you are grieving for them, so they come to your dream and die again to “remind” you of them. This may also be a reminder from your subconsciousness that you are not paying enough attention to someone. 

It is recommended that after this dream you visit the grave of your loved one so that you can be reminiscent of your time together. 

Dreaming that you are at the funeral of the deceased has the same meaning.  

8. Dreaming of the Deceased Being Alive or Revived 

ghost of the dead being alive

Dreaming of the deceased being alive is generally interpreted as meaning that you did not expect that person to die and that their death deeply affected you. Such dreams are mostly dreamed by people whose loved ones had a violent or quick death, such as a traffic accident. 

Also, this shows that you may have had an unresolved relationship with that person, so you need them to be alive at least in your dream to resolve something. It can be fights, unfinished relationships, or some promise that you or the deceased did not get to fulfill. 

And when you dream of the deceased rising from the dead, that is, resurrecting, it means that you must have great love and affection for this person. 

This has a positive meaning and says that some positive and bigger change will happen in your life, that you can expect a lot of joy. Dreaming of the deceased being revived is very good because it tells you that you still feel their presence in some form. 

9. When the Deceased Gives Money in a Dream 

Money has a special symbolism in dreams and usually signifies good predictions, that you will achieve prosperity, that your plans and goals will come true and that you are currently on a good path in life. 

Dreaming of the deceased giving you money also has a positive meaning, because it shows you that forces from the other world are watching over you and that everything you start now will be successful. 

10. The Deceased Was Angry or Happy 

We remember some dreams in detail, and to interpret the dream as well as possible, it is important to remember what you can tell me any little thing, and one of them is what was the mood of the deceased. 

To dream of the deceased being angry means that you feel guilty about something, that you quarreled with that person while they were alive, so the relationship remained unresolved. 

Perhaps you feel that you did not treat the deceased well enough and that you could have treated them better. Therefore, if you dream of a deceased person who is angry with you, it’s recommended to ask for forgiveness from them.  

If the deceased is happy, if they are smiling, it means that good news awaits you, that you don’t have to worry about anything and that everything will be as it should be. Your loved ones look after you and you are surrounded by love. 

11. Dreaming of Deceased Parents 

Dreaming of deceased parents

There is a difference between whether you dreamed of your parents who have already died or whether they were dead in your dream.  

To dream that people are alive and that they are good, despite all intuition, means that you have “prolonged the life” of these people and that nothing bad will happen to them. 

12. Dreaming of Deceased Father 

The father figure is associated with stability, security, determination, and support. Therefore, dreaming of a deceased father means that you miss your father and that you lack the stability and sense of security he provided you. 

If your deceased father came to you in a dream, it means that he wants to show you that you are on the right path in life. A father usually appears in a dream when you are having trouble making up your mind about something, so he is there for you to help you overcome it. 

Also take into account that you are much more likely to have dreams with your family members if you lived with them, because you saw them every day, and our brain often inserts into dreams what happens to us every day or something that left an impression on us.  

13. Dreaming of Deceased Mother 

A mother is a support, a protector, a symbol of care and unconditional love, but also of strength. Mothers are so strong that the whole family relies on them. Dreaming of a deceased mother means that you miss her, that you lack her love, her support, and everything that only a mother can give, regardless of how old you are. 

If your mother appears in your dream, it may mean that it is time to replace your mother, that you are becoming the pillar of the family, and that you should become everything that she was to you. A mother symbolizes support and various positive feelings, so dreaming of a mother is considered a good sign. 

However, if you had a bad relationship with your mother and if in general, your mother was not a good person, nor did she treat you well, such a dream will only disturb you and not attach any special importance to it. 

14. Dreaming of a Dead Grandfather 

Dreaming of dead grandfather

If you dream of a dead grandfather, it means that a problem in communication is constantly being imposed on you in the recent period. You are not sure why, but you often start stuttering or simply get lost in your thoughts when trying to communicate with someone, which creates a problem for you at work but also in the social aspect of life. 

You probably need the company of friends or loved ones to help you move on with your life. Make everything easy on yourself. 

15. Dreaming of a Dead Grandmother 

Seeing a dead grandmother in your dreams implies that some unknown person will confide in you a very big private secret. You will be taken aback by what you find out and will need some time to process the information properly. 

Pay attention to your diet because excess weight could affect your self-confidence and status in society, which you have suffered from since childhood. 

16. Dreaming of a Dead Brother 

If you dream of a dead brother, it means that you have become too aggressive and jealous of the people around you. When someone got a new and better job, you are angry and jealous. If someone had a child, you are angry and jealous.  

When someone’s life just took off for the better, you are also angry and jealous. You have no reason to be any of those things. It’s time to start looking at your life and to work on yourself to make it easier and better for you, and not to poke your nose into other people’s affairs because you will remain alone and unaccepted because of such behavior. 

17. Dreaming of Sex With the Deceased 

Dreaming of sex with the deceased represents a missed opportunity. You may have noticed that a certain person, towards whom you also have feelings, has recently been attacking you or constantly trying to improve the level of your friendship to something higher, but you resolutely avoid and ignore it. Later you will realize that you have been making mistake after mistake. 

Lie down in your comfort zone for a while because you need something like that. For you to function every day as before, you need to charge your batteries from time to time. 

18. Watching the Funeral of the Dead 

watching a funeral

If you are watching the funeral of a dead person, it means that your stubbornness is slowly starting to get on the nerves of the people who surround you every day.  

If your goal is to keep those people around, you have to understand that no one is God-given, including you.  

Allow others to stand out when they are with you so that they too can grab their five minutes on stage. 

19. You Are Dead 

In case you have a dream in which you are dead, it still means a monetary gain with which you will be able to afford some kind of gift that you have been dreaming about a lot lately.  

20. To Dream of Kissing the Dead 

Dreams in which you kiss the dead mean that you are constantly overloading yourself with wrong thoughts. Although many things from the past still bother you today, sometimes it is time to simply put those problems aside and forget about them. We know something like this is easier said than done but it’s up to you to stay strong and persevere to succeed in this. 

Don’t pay too much attention to the lies and gossip that surround you because you will realize that they are not worth your time at all. 

If you dream that you are kissing your deceased partner, it means that someone is still holding you in their hand because of something you participated in in the past. You might have been caught in adultery by a person, and because of this, they exploit you in various ways. Maybe you even tried to help someone you weren’t supposed to. 

Why Do We Sleep? 

a family sleeping

Many theories try to explain why we sleep. According to one, the brain is reprogrammed precisely in sleep when the senses send almost no data, and this is achieved by getting rid of all outdated and unnecessary information.  

The human body needs sleep because the body cannot withstand continuous 24-hour efforts. But the body never shuts down completely. During sleep, the brain is extremely active. In this article, we explore the relationship between dreams and our lives, in particular dreams about dead people and what they could mean. 

The Science of Dreams 

There are two types of sleep: non-REM (NREM) and REM sleep. Both are marked by characteristic physiological changes. 

NREM accounts for 75-80% of all sleep in adults. It is the so-called orthodox sleep characterized by a decrease in metabolic activity, blood pressure, and heart rate. Orthodox sleep can be further divided into two phases: light orthodox sleep and deep orthodox sleep.  

In light orthodox sleep, the body changes its position up to forty times during the night, so that the blood circulation takes place smoothly, and the muscles remain mobile. However, both the brain and the muscles are totally relaxed during deep orthodox sleep. We typically transition from orthodox to paradoxical sleep five times throughout the course of the night. 

Paradoxical sleep is characterized by irregular breathing and pulse, as well as rapid eye movement (REM). REM sleep follows each cycle of NREM sleep. Most dreams occur during REM sleep. It is possible that the above-mentioned reprogramming takes place precisely during the so-called paradoxical sleep (REM). 

Sleepers can very faithfully describe their dreams if we wake them up during such sleep. On the other hand, after only five minutes of REM sleep, the memory of what we dreamed is hazy, and after ten minutes, we remember nothing. People who claim not to dream are those who do not wake up immediately after REM sleep but enter a new stage of orthodox sleep. It is during these fascinating times that dreams are formed, and these are something worth exploring. 

Wrapping Up 

These are just some of the interpretations of what it means to dream of the deceased. And if you can’t find yourself in any of the interpretations offered to you, it simply means that that person meant a lot to you in your life, that you would like them to be there, and that’s perfectly fine. There is no end to the period of grieving for loved ones who have passed away, we just get used to living with the fact that they are no longer there, and we never really get over it. 

Dreams about the deceased often carry sad and very emotional meanings. There are also happier ones as well. Although shocking, these meanings are very instructive. We hope we managed to help you understand them better.  

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Nemanja Đukić
Nemanja Đukić

I am a writer and a teacher of rhetoric, international humanitarian law, and entrepreneurship. As a writer, I specialize in writing about history, politics, and finding quirky ways to elevate all the great selling points of a product/service. I obtained my bachelor's degree in International Relations at the University of Montenegro and completed my master' s studies at the Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary where I studied diplomacy. I believe studying diplomacy and politics sets you up for knowing how to craft a sentence, how to fill it with content and ensure that your audience understands the message.