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Dream meaning

Killing someone

The short answer

Dreaming that you kill someone is disturbing but common, and it does not reveal hidden violence. It usually reflects anger, a wish to end something, or a struggle with a part of yourself. The identity of the victim and how you felt afterwards matter most.

24.3% of people in the study had had this dream. More common in men: 36.1%, against 19.5% of women. No. 30 of the 55 typical dreams · Nielsen et al., 2003

Written by David Marinangeli · Updated October 21, 2026 · How we write these

Killing someone

What does a dream about “Killing someone” mean?

What psychologists say

Aggression is one of the most frequent social interactions in dreams. In the Canadian typical dreams study, killing someone was reported more often by men. Researchers stress that dream violence doesn't predict real violence; it reflects emotions and conflicts the mind is processing.

Nielsen et al., 2003; Hall & Van de Castle, 1966

The Jungian reading

A Jungian reading treats the victim as a part of you: killing it can mean you are trying to get rid of a trait, habit or role. It can also be a necessary ending: something must die for something new to live.

Jung, 1964

In history and folklore

Folk dream books often read killing in a dream as overcoming an enemy or ending a trouble. Artemidorus noted that the meaning of violent acts in dreams depends on who the dreamer is and who is harmed.

Artemidorus, Oneirocritica

How common is this dream?

24.3% of people in the study had had this dream. More common in men: 36.1%, against 19.5% of women. From a survey of 1,181 first-year university students in three Canadian cities. No. 30 of the 55 typical dreams.

Common versions of this dream

What if I kill someone I love?

This usually reflects mixed feelings or a change in the relationship, not a wish to harm them.

What if I feel guilty after?

Guilt often comes from your waking values reacting to dream content. It shows care, not danger.

What if I kill in self-defence?

Defending yourself points to asserting boundaries.

Dreams that often come with it

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Sources

  1. Nielsen, T. A., Zadra, A. L., Simard, V., Saucier, S., Stenstrom, P., Smith, C., & Kuiken, D. (2003). The typical dreams of Canadian university students. Dreaming, 13(4), 211–235. doi:10.1023/B:DREM.0000003144.40929.0b
  2. Hall, C. S., & Van de Castle, R. L. (1966). The Content Analysis of Dreams. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
  3. Jung, C. G. (Ed.) (1964). Man and His Symbols. Aldus Books.
  4. Artemidorus of Daldis (2nd century CE). Oneirocritica (The Interpretation of Dreams). Translated by D. E. Harris-McCoy, Oxford University Press, 2012.