Alligator Dream Meaning

A lot of people have experienced dreaming about alligators at one time or another. If you have, you are probably wondering what the animal represents and why it would be in the forefront of your subconscious mind.

When an alligator appears in your dreams, it may be a sign that you have found a hidden instinct within yourself. It may also mean that you have faced or uncovered deception in your life.

Another possible explanation is that an alligator may imply that you need to take a more inquisitive approach or obtain an enhanced outlook about a specific situation that you are currently experiencing.

In today’s modern world, people look at alligators a bit differently. For instance, it could indicate that something dangerous is about to happen in your future. Nevertheless, some people believe that dreaming about alligators is a good thing since it means that you are about to embark on a healing process.

Another common thing that it symbolizes is that you may be emotionally or mentally imbalanced and that your overall well-being is not in good standing. You may be and holding to plenty of underlying tension, and you need to address those feelings in order to reestablish harmony in your life.

A dream about an alligator could also present something positive. These animals (see also animal dream symbols) are powerful and dreaming about them may indicate that you will experience success in the near future, which is something you are planning on setting out to achieve.

Basically, dreaming of alligators may symbolize the jerks and bumps you have encountered or still experiencing in your life. Its sinister eyes are poking up from the depths of your subconscious. It is challenging and confronting you to do something about it immediately before it gets out of hand. That may suggest getting rid of any negativity from your mind and keeping yourself in check, because that jerk may also mean it is you. 

Of course, the way in which you experience the alligator in your dream would also influence the meaning behind it.

EXAMPLE DREAM INTERPRETATIONS AND POSSIBLE MEANINGS OF DREAMING ABOUT AN ALLIGATOR

Dreaming of an alligator presents many possible scenarios. It is very helpful  to see various dream examples and interpretations so that you can better understand in context their different meanings.

Here are the meanings of dreaming about alligators.

To dream you are being bitten by an alligator

This may serve as a warning regarding a danger or threat looming around. It may also mean that you must be more aware of potential problems aheads. So ask yourself if there is something you are ignoring that you must pay better attention to.

Snapping Alligator

If the alligator in your dream is snapping at you, it may imply that you are ignoring something that requires your attention. It may also mean that a person you know or you have been sensitive and agitated easily.

Fighting an Alligator

Fighting (See also Dream of Fighting) an alligator in your dream may suggest that you are confronting and facing your fears. Or it may imply that you are not afraid of danger. Furthermore, it can also signify that you are having an inner struggle of some kind.

Being Attacked

Dreaming of an alligator attack can be a very scary thing! If you feel like you are being attacked, it could mean that you are not sure about whether or not you can trust someone or something in your life.

Alligators have thick skin. So in these circumstances, dreaming of an alligator attacking you may mean that your resiliency is developing and being challenged one way or anther in your waking life.

Dreaming of killing an alligator

If your dream involved being killed by one of these large reptile (see also Lizard Dream Symbols) creatures, this may sometimes imply that you feel out of control about a specific situation. You may feel like you cannot escape or change that situation.

Death in our dreams often associates with the symbol of transformation and change. Sometimes when this occurs in a dream, it may also imply that you feel uncertain about changes coming up in your life.

It is also possible that you are scared and that perhaps you are in some sort of danger. Luckily, the majority of these dreams are not prophetic in nature, which means they do not predict the future.

In a lot of circumstances, studying the symbols for the dream meaning of death will usually help ease your worry.

On the other hand, if you dream about killing an alligator may potentially mean that you feel like you are able to handle any kind of challenge that may come your way. You may have confidence that even if something is challenging, you will succeed in the end.

If the feeling you have is relief or gladness, it may also mean that you have recently overcome something difficult. So now, you are feeling the accomplishment and pleasure of knowing that you were able to get through the difficulty. Think of the slang term, killing it, which means to achieve success.

If you’re dreaming about a big beefy alligator

Similar to tornadoes in dreams, the alligator size, and how many times you dream about the creature, will indicate how many aggressors you have in your waking life. Keep in mind that when something is bigger and the more in number that thing is, the more space it will take up in your life or psyche. 

If the alligator in your dream looks like the famous golf course gator, Chubbs, it means that you are dealing with a real monster in real life. So now may be the right time to begin controlling the situation. The last thing you want is to see yourself getting eaten by it entirely.

If you’re trying to run, or swim, away from an alligator

Is your dream more like a nightmare? If the scenario is you trying to run away from the gator or escape a body of water infested by alligators, there may be someone in your life making you feel threatened with their criticism or biting remarks.  

When you’re attempting to get away from the beast in the dream, it may be a literal representation of the way you are reacting to that person. Are you trying your best to avoid that person instead of facing him or her? Or perhaps you’re in a certain situation where it’s hard for you to get out of?

If you’re trying to rescue a loved one from an alligator

One of the most common alligator dreams that parents experience involves their attempt to rescue their children from the clutches of the scary reptile. 

In events like these, there may be a bully in your child’s life that he or she is dealing with at school. The bully may also be a mean sibling or perhaps your kid is having a hard time with the criticism he or she is receiving from a teacher. 

The same case also applies when you dream about trying to save someone you know. Is that person having a tough time at work dealing with a friend, boss, or co-worker with unrelenting opinions? You may also want to ask yourself if how the help you’re giving that person in managing stress is impacting you.

To be swimming with an alligator

To dream of swimming with an alligator may signify that your emotional needs are not being met. Moreover, you may be afraid of expressing your emotions to someone. Likewise, you may not be acknowledging how you truly feel about a situation.

Sometimes, this may also indicate that you not sure whether you can trust a person or not.  You may feel like someone could surprise you suddenly or sneak up on with surprising news. You may also be afraid of facing the truth about a situation. Are youu being honest with yourself and others.

Ask yourself: What are the characteristics of the water?

The kind of water you see can make a difference for what this dream may possibly mean.

For instance, if you dream you are in a swimming pool and doing synchronized dives together, this is a huge difference in comparison to what it means to swim with an alligator in a muddy river.

Muddy water may indicate uncertainty or doubt. Crystal clear blue water may suggest that you are allowing the emotions you are repressing to finally come to the surface. Moreover, you are ready and able to confront these fears and deal with the hard feelings you may have been avoiding in the past.

If you have an alligator in a pool, aquarium, or tub

If in your dream you see an alligator restricted in some sort of closed environment, it may suggest that you are quite good at containing the sarcastic, cynical, and hostile part of yourself. Likewise, it may mean that you are working well at containing an individual in your waking life that’s raging, consuming, and critical, as well as not allowing the situation to progress into something you will not be able to control. 

Similarly, if in the gator dream you have built up a kind of rapport with the animal, making it seem like it were your pet, that is beneficial on your part as well. a friendly alligator means there’s an aspect of yourself that you are fine with and working for you. 

In terms of external jerks, if the beast is tamed, it may also signify that you have made your peace with a troublesome relationship or a thing that you think is threatening your life.

Basically, dreaming of alligators may symbolize the jerks and bumps you have encountered or still experiencing in your life. Its sinister eyes are poking up from the depths of your subconscious. It is challenging and confronting you to do something about it immediately before it gets out of hand. That may suggest getting rid of any negativity from your mind and keeping yourself in check, because that jerk may also mean it is you. 

When interpreting your dream symbols, you have to start working outwards. If your alligator dream is not applicable to your situation, it may be for someone in your life. Once you have determined where the problem is coming from, you may be able to begin identifying the ways on how you can lessen their impact on you emotionally.

Feeling trapped

Sometimes, you may dream of a whirlpool or being dragged underwater in these kinds of dreams as well. This is particularly true if you feel like your responsibilities are currently overwhelming. Perhaps things at home, your work, and your personal life are starting to wear down on you.

Do you feel like you have no way of improving a situation? Maybe you are not seeing the kind of development you want to achieve with your current goals.

Knowing what it means to be dreaming of being trapped can provide you plenty of insight on what it may likely signify if this is a mood that you notice.

So ask yourself if you feel like you are stuck in a situation and are not sure how you can get out of it.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT THE DREAM:

HOW DID YOU FEEL?

Recognizing your feelings, as well as the tone of your dream is extremely vital. Often, feelings are the only thing necessary to start to truly understand the underlying meaning of your dreams. What you feel throughout your everyday waking life, even if subconsciously, will normally manifest in some way in what you experience at night while asleep.

Think about any emotions and thoughts that happened. Were you terrified? Did you run away? Did you try to fight the things that were frightening you? Did you face it head-on?

When you are in tune with your feelings about the alligator, it can help you further understand what it means in your dream.

WHAT COLORS WERE PRESENT IN THE DREAM?

The majority of alligators are green, gray, and brown. However, in dreams, they can appear in several different colors. Dreaming of something in a completely different color instead of what may be normal or expected is not an unusual thing

In other cases, the color of the creature may not be all that vital. But perhaps there is a color of something else that is notably vivid. For example, you may see a bright red ball bouncing in the water. Or you may remember seeing a big yellow sun in the sky.

You’ll have a better insight as to how the symbolism of these different colors may relate to your waking life if you learn their meaning. 

WHAT ARE SOME WORDS YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE THE  ALLIGATOR?

Try to describe the alligator in your dream as much as possible. Was it massive or small? Was it wild or gentle? Did it snap at you, or was it just there minding its own business?

Think carefully about what actions were taking place in your dream. These actions will usually provide you with some crucial clues when interpreting what the dream may mean.

IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING IN YOUR CURRENT LIFE?

There are times when your dreams are a way of processing the feelings you currently have, as well as everything you encounter in your everyday waking life. Recently, was there something that made you feel uncertain, insecure, challenged, anxious, or afraid?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DREAM ABOUT AN ALLIGATOR OR A CROCODILE?

In a lot of cases, dreaming of an alligator or dreaming of a crocodile presents a similar meaning. While these two animals are not the same, they do share plenty of the same characteristics and symbolism.

Alligators usually have a rounded, broader, and U-shaped snout. On the other hand, the head of crocodiles is V-shaped and skinnier.

These massive reptiles are well known for living in swampy areas and also in places where there are towering grasses and water. They are pretty good at blending in with the surrounding environment to hide while hunting.

Furthermore, these creatures can be quite aggressive and dangerous in the wild or even when they are held in captivity.

According to research done by Dr. Gregory M. Erickson, these great reptilian creatures could even be possibly more menacing and aggressive in comparison to a T-rex if it were to still exist today. Isn’t it crazy?

Nevertheless, for a lot of people, dreaming of these animals is an experience that can be terrifying and worrisome. When you see one in your dream and you feel fear or worry, rest assured that your response is indeed quite normal. 

Most of us that live in the suburbs or cities (see also hotel dream symbols) do not normally encounter an alligator or crocodile when we are out about doing our regular daily routines. Although, you may see these creatures at theme parks, zoos, and even in various areas when you travel (see travel dream symbols) to a place where they are native to the environment.

CONFRONTING FEARS

I would say that almost 100% of people I talk to who dream about an alligator are pretty fearful when one appears in their dream. Often, these reptiles would appear out of nowhere, exposing their very ferocious-looking teeth. Sometimes, they may even chase you in your dream.

When you feel fear while you are dreaming about an alligator, it usually implies that something is lurking in your everyday waking life that scared to confront and deal with. 

This may something that you are unaware of. Or perhaps, you may be fearful of startling news or unpredictable outcomes.

Although facing your fears can be scary, the message of this creature is to remind you that you must be vigilant. You must not ignore any likely warning signs. If you ignore your intuition, it may mean that you are not seeing the results you are after.

A lot of common nightmares involve alligators or crocodiles. On occasion, even I will see these reptiles in my dreams. This is especially true when I am well aware there are things I would rather not face or deal with emotionally or have plenty of challenges going on in my life.

Luckily, there are plenty of great techniques to stop and prevent nightmares if you have a lot of dreams about these scary situations.

A LONGING FOR ADVENTURE

Associating an alligator with uncertainty and the unknown, it’s highly likely that it may be seen as a dream symbol, particularly when you have to deal with making new decisions or if your life has become somewhat monotonous. 

Alligators may represent your need to take on an adventure and bring some excitement into your life. Think about action and adventure TV shows and films, where you’ll find an alligator or two making an appearance.

In your alligator dream, pay close attention to the overall feel and mood you have. When you save the alligators, did you feel a rush of excitement? Did you feel in awe or filled with wonder? If so, it may suggest that you are seeking something interesting or new to do.

A SYMBOL FOR RESILIENCE

We often connect the skin of an alligator to have a pretty scaly, thick, dry, and rough texture. Fortunately, I have never touched one to find out.

Although this may imply that you are neglecting your emotions to some degree, depending on the context of the events in your dream, in most cases, this symbolizes resiliency. This suggests that you are able to face challenges even if the entire experience s not a pleasant one. 

Moreover, the phrase thick-skinned implies that you were able to handle complaints and criticism with ease. Hurting your feelings is not easy. Also, you do not take things too personally, and you can understand that you cannot control others around you. Nevertheless, you can manage yourself, as well as your own feelings and thoughts. 

But, always remember that there are times that the meaning of your dreams may be the exact opposite. Occasionally, this may also imply that are you being inconsiderate to what others may feel or think.

INSINCERITY: NOT BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS

The meaning of the phrase alligator tears, better known as crocodile tears is to cry falsely. Sometimes when you dream of an alligator, it may indicate that you are not being true to yourself.

You may be pretending one thing or acting one way when your real subconscious emotions are the opposite of what you want to believe.

This may mean that you are not truly honest with yourself. Likewise, you may be denying yourself of your true feelings about a specific situation in your current waking life.

There are times this dream symbol appears when an individual is facing a business matter and is unsure whether not someone is worth trusting. There are not a lot of people who will trust an alligator willingly, and it may suggest that you are not ready about whether you can trust someone or even yourself, particularly in dealing with business.

HIDING, SURPRISE AND CONCEALMENT

Alligators typically hide under the water while waiting for their prey. You never know what may be lurking beneath the surface.

Hence, it is probable that your alligator dreams may symbolize concealment or hiding something. As mentioned previously, this may suggest that you are unsure if you can trust someone or something in your waking life. It may seem as if someone is hiding the truth from you.

ARE YOU HIDING FROM YOURSELF?

There are times when we tend to conceal our own feelings. Burying these old emotions down deep is quite easy and hope they never resurface. However, that is usually not the case of what occurs.

Often, the emotions you repress can end up quite literally snapping up to the surface at the worst possible times.

Nevertheless, not every surprise that comes your way is a bad one. Sometimes, this may be a sign that you are ready for something new or are willing to take on new opportunities.

You may also have a lot of hidden skills and talents that you do not always recognize or celebrate. An alligator is often assigned as a power animal (see also aardvark dreams) in spiritual healing gatherings since they are very mighty and strong.

They may appear in your dream to encourage you to feel more confident and resilient in your waking life, as well as to take advantage of your own inner power and wisdom.