What Do Dreams of Crocodiles Mean?

What does it mean to dream of crocodiles?

Dreaming of crocodiles and alligators can seem a spooky subject. They are powerful creatures with a lot of strength, known for wrestling their prey into submission. But having one of these visit you in your dreams isn’t inherently negative – it can actually be a good sign!

Let’s take a look at the other details that these dreams could mean for you…

The dream

It’s almost time for bed. After donning your favourite PJs, you pop into the bathroom.

On entering, you’re faced with two huge rows of brightly gleaming teeth – possessed by a huge crocodile. It’s stood upright, balancing on its hind legs, and cleaning its many pearly whites in your sink, with a giant toothbrush.

Before you can let out a scream, the huge croc turns its head and looks you in the eye. “Oh don’t mind me”, it says in a deep, slightly posh voice. “I’ll only have to inconvenience you for a little while. I have so many teeth to clean, and I just can’t abide foul-smelling breath. If you have as many teeth as me brushing three times a day is so important, don’t you know?”

Then you wake up. It was all just a very strange dream. But just what could it mean?

Variations of the dream

An alligator swimming through clear waters, with greenery underneath it.

Whether you’re being chased, being attacked by, or even feeding a crocodile, each of these dreams will have different meanings. Whether above land or in the water, the actions have different meanings. Here, we explore the most popular crocodile dreams in more detail:

1. Dreams about a crocodile attacking you

Being attacked by a crocodile in your dreams has been connected with good luck. If you’ve been through a stormy period in your life, this dream is said to indicate this is over and that you will now experience calm and peace.

According to Dream expert Aunty Flo, it also means you should expand your interests and perhaps take up a new sport. Flo says:

“In ancient dream dictionaries, being attacked by a crocodile is positive and denotes good luck. If you are swallowed by crocodile then this indicates that you are going to increase your spirituality leaps and bounds.”

However, Chinese astrology has a different perspective. It indicates a chance of being attacked or making an enemy in your life. However, if you manage to shake it off and get it away from you, that means you’ll be free from grave danger.

2. Dreams about a crocodile chasing you

If a hungry crocodile chases you in a dream, this is said to be a symbol of swiftness and agility. You may need to let go of the past, says Dreams Directory, and concentrate on what is and stop holding on to what was. “You need to delve deeper in order to find the truth.”

However, dreaming of being chased by a crocodile reveals exhaustion. According to My Meaning of Dreams: “Your body is asking you to rest, as it is taking its toll during the day because at night you can’t get to sleep properly due to your bad posture.”

3. Dreams about feeding a crocodile

The meaning of this dream depends entirely on your attitude, and according to My Meaning of Dreams, you shouldn’t confuse your qualities and positive self-esteem with vanity.

“Try to bring out the positive in yourself to do good. Don’t get carried away with overconfidence by voicing opinions or simply talking; you can hurt others with your words and actions.”

Answering the dream

Fear not if you regularly encounter crocodiles or alligators in your dreams! Although these powerful creatures can be scary and are considered hazardous creatures you wouldn’t want to meet up close in real life, dreaming about them is said to have a positive meaning. It’s often connected to wisdom, power, and strength – though some say they can also represent control and potentially deceit.

Plus, because crocodiles are highly adaptable in the wild, this dream is connected to being flexible in your waking life. Aunty Flo agrees, saying: “Ironically, the presence of a crocodile in a dream is somewhat positive. If you come face-to-face with a crocodile in the dream, this indicates that you have the passion and energy to fulfil your goals.”

Living both in water and on land, the amphibious crocodile is said to represent the emotions (water) and the physical (earth). Therefore, dreams of this cold-blooded reptile can be connected to our subconscious mind. According to Aunty Flo, the details of the dream are significant: “.. Freud’s meaning of seeing the crocodile is psychological in nature. He believed that this dream manifests due to our own characteristics of being aggressive in life. The dream of a crocodile can also represent the need to review our emotions, especially towards others.”

Notable appearances in popular culture

Crocodiles and alligators tend to get a bad rap in popular culture. Whether it’s their terrifying teeth or the way they silently glide up to their victims, there’s something almost demonic about these ancient creatures. It may then come as a surprise to know that in Egyptian mythology, they were worshipped as divinities.

The term crocodile comes from the Ancient Greek krokódilos, meaning lizard. Crocodiles are polyphyodonts, which means they can replace each of their 80 teeth up to 50 times in their lifetime, which can be up to 75 years!

Crocodiles are all over popular culture – usually depicted in a negative light – with starring roles in books such as Peter Pan and Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile, and on the big screen led by Australian cultural phenomena Crocodile Dundee and the late Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter.

There are many villainous crocodile characters in cartoons and other forms of entertainment media, but there are other associations, too. In the English language, the term crocodile tears refers to bogus displays of emotion, such as a hypocrite pretending to cry fake tears of grief. This comes from an ancient myth that crocodiles weep in order to lure their prey or that they cry for the victims they are eating!

Find out more about the meaning of dreams that evoke strong emotions. Read our articles on being chased in your dream, why your teeth fall out in your dream and what it means to be late in your dream.