Dream Of Partner Cheating? (Interpretation & Spiritual Meaning)
Unfortunately, dreams aren’t always pleasant experiences. And dreams about your partner cheating on you aren’t much fun at all.
But the good news is that they’re surprisingly common. And they don’t necessarily mean that your loved one is being unfaithful!
We’re going to look at what dreams of this kind can represent. And we’ll work through some common dream scenarios and their possible meanings.
So if you’re ready, let’s look at eight meanings when you dream about your partner cheating …
What’s Behind a Dream of Cheating?
Dreams in which your partner cheats on you often excite strong emotional responses. You may wake feeling upset and aggrieved. And you may have to suppress the urge to take it out on your “unfaithful” partner!
But dreams of cheating don’t always have a literal interpretation. Yes, they can be linked to insecurities in your relationship. But they can also have very little – if anything – to do with your loved one.
In close relationships, our partner may feel like part of ourselves. And their “cheating” on us could be pointing to our own unacknowledged wishes and desires. That doesn’t mean we want to cheat on our partners either! But it could be indicating some kind of emotional deficit.
Working out what’s behind your dream of your partner cheating is something only you can do. It’s important to look at every element of your dream and figure out what it means to you.
And it’s also important to do this in the context of your own circumstances. Look honestly at your own fears and worries, as well as the recent experiences you’ve had. All these will be feeding into the images presented by your dreaming mind.
But while only you can accurately interpret your dream, that doesn’t mean you’re on your own! We’re going to look at eight different meanings that could sit behind a dream of your partner cheating. They can help guide you in your search for the message behind your own dream.
Dream of Partner Cheating (Interpretation & Spiritual Meaning)
1. Your Partner Really is Cheating
Okay, let’s start with the worst-case scenario. It’s possible that your dream is showing you your partner being unfaithful because that’s what’s really happening.
It may be that you’ve picked up on hints that something isn’t right in your relationship. And perhaps you’ve spotted clues that your partner is cheating that you haven’t consciously acknowledged.
If that’s the case, your dream may present you with the evidence you’ve been trying to ignore. In other words, there may be details in your dream life that correspond with your real life. Perhaps it featured a receipt for a hotel, or a caller who hung up when you answered the phone.
But remember – nine times out of ten, a dream is symbolizing something rather than representing the literal truth. So if you have no real reason to doubt your partner’s fidelity, don’t let this dream upset you. It will be telling you something different.
Let’s look at what that might be.
2. Your Partner’s Time or Attention is Elsewhere
Dreams of this kind often arise when one partner feels a lack of attention from the other. That doesn’t have to mean that the distracted partner is having an affair! But it does mean that their time and attention is being consumed by something or someone outside the relationship.
That might be anything from a new job to a new puppy, to ageing parents who need increasing support. No matter how deserving the cause to your rational mind, you may still be feeling abandoned.
It’s particularly likely that your conscious brain will suppress those feelings when you feel you’re being unfair. How can you be jealous of your elderly mother-in-law needing help to get to her doctor’s appointment, right?
But your unconscious mind is aware of those feelings and playing them back to you in your dream.
If this strikes a chord, it may be helpful to recognise how you’re feeling – and perhaps talk it through with your partner. Even acknowledging those feelings openly can help to neutralize them. And you may be able to identify strategies to find quality time together.
3. You’re Unhappy About Your Partner’s Flirting
Your partner doesn’t have to be cheating for you to worry about their behavior. And that’s particularly likely to be the case if you’ve had to deal with an unfaithful partner in the past.
Maybe their style of communication is naturally flirty. Maybe they’ve done things they think are fine, but you find upsetting – like complimenting someone on their latest semi-clad Instagram post.
Whatever the specific circumstances, being honest with yourself about your feelings is the first step. That’s what your dream may be trying to help you to do.
The next step is just as important – talk to your partner about it openly. Explain how you feel when they behave in a particular way. But take your share of responsibility too. Not everyone will react in the same way, and behavior that you find disrespectful, others might barely notice.
That doesn’t, however, mean that your feelings aren’t valid or important. And if your partner knows that you’re upset, they should value you enough to adjust their approach. If they don’t, perhaps it’s time to look again at whether this is a relationship you can be happy in.
4. You’re Tackling Feelings of Insecurity
Sometimes your partner in your dream can be representing something – or everything – that’s precious to you. In that case, a dream that they’re cheating may have nothing to do with your relationship at all. It could instead be reflecting a more general feeling of insecurity.
To see whether that’s the case, it’s a good idea to look at what’s been happening in your life lately. Has there been anything that’s made you feel you’re on less certain ground than you’d thought?
Perhaps you’ve been passed over for a job you thought you stood a good chance of getting. Perhaps a good friend or close family member is moving away. Or maybe your landlord is talking about selling up.
Anything that leaves you feeling unsettled could be behind this kind of dream. Your unconscious mind is reflecting your anxiety and fears of abandonment.
As always, talking things through is one of the best remedies for these kinds of feelings. Think about what you could do to boost your self-esteem. Make a plan, then go out and do it. By taking control of your situation, you’ll feel better and get more positive results too.
5. You’re Worried You’re Missing Out
In some cases, dreams of your partner cheating might indicate you’re worried you’re missing out in some way. More specifically, it could mean you’re worried that you’re missing out on some part of your partner.
That’s particularly likely to be the case if you dreamed of them cheating with a former significant other. The good news is that this is a very common dream – and in most cases, there’s nothing to worry about.
Your dream is most likely reflecting your unacknowledged thoughts about your partner’s previous life. That was something you didn’t share with them, so that part of them may feel closed off to you.
But that’s not the case for their former partner. That person shared experiences with them that you weren’t part of. And it’s natural to find that thought uncomfortable.
Your dream may be trying to help you work through those feelings – albeit in a way you may find upsetting!
Ask yourself how you could think about your partner’s past in a way that doesn’t feel threatening to you. Perhaps not knowing everything means there’s more fun to be had in discovery? Or perhaps it’s exciting knowing that you too will be sharing things with them that no-one else can.
6. You’re Jealous of Your Partner’s Ex
Another interpretation if you’ve dreamed your partner is cheating on you with an ex is more straightforward. Perhaps you simply admire some other aspect of their ex as a person. Perhaps they’ve got great hair, dazzling wit or amazing dress sense.
Maybe that admiration has tipped across into envy. That envy is then being played out in your dream, as your partner betrays you with the person you subconsciously worry is “better” than you.
Mild envy is a natural part of the human condition. And it’s not surprising that it’s frequently directed towards people we see as our sexual rivals. Working out those feelings in your dreams can be a natural and healthy part of your emotional life.
But if the dream recurs frequently, it may be time to take a closer look at what’s going on. It could be a sign that you’re not working through those feelings of jealousy. Talking them through with your partner may be a good way to get things in perspective and move on.
7. You Want Your Partner to Get on Better with Someone Close to You
If your partner was cheating with someone else you know in your dream, a couple of different interpretations are possible.
Do your partner and the person their dream self is cheating with get on well in real life? If they don’t, your dream might, perversely, be an indication that you want them to get on better.
A good relationship between, say, a partner and a best friend is usually desirable. (Even if the two of them having an affair is probably a bridge too far!) After all, you care about them both and want to spend time with them. That’s considerably easier if they’re not at each other’s throats.
Alternatively, your dream might have the same root as a dream of your ex cheating with a former partner. It could be motivated by envy towards some aspect of your dream rival’s life.
If that’s the case, being honest about the way you feel is the first step to tackling it. Noticing your wish that they’d get a terrible haircut might be enough to give you a laugh and move on.
Or it might be that this person is representing something you want in your own life. Perhaps you see them as having the financial stability you long for. Maybe they’re a parent, and you want a child. Or perhaps they have a great career, where you feel your own is stagnating.
If that’s the case, congratulations! You’ve identified something you want and don’t yet have – and that’s the first step to getting it. Now think through what strategies you can use to help move towards your goal.
You’re taking control of what you want and going after it. That’s great news.
8. If You’re the One Who’s Cheating
If you’ve dreamed that you’re cheating on your partner, the interpretations can be quite different.
This dream can point to feelings of guilt. Perhaps you’ve done something you feel has compromised your integrity. Or perhaps you’re considering doing it, and your dream is a warning of how bad you’ll feel if you do.
Alternatively, the dream can be indicating something you feel you’re lacking in your waking life. The person you’re cheating with may represent some quality or characteristic you feel you need. Dreams of cheating with your boss, for example, could point to a desire for authority and control.
Of course, it’s also possible that the dream is playing out your unacknowledged wishes. But if the thought of it makes your stomach turn when you wake, don’t worry! Remember, in most cases, dreams are symbolic not literal.
The Varied Meanings of Dreams of Cheating
That brings us to the end of our look at the different meanings when you dream about your partner cheating. We hope it’s helped you work through the different interpretations that could apply to your own circumstances.
If you’re happy and secure in your relationship, this isn’t a dream to worry about. It’s pretty common, and it could mean lots of different things. But if you do have trust issues with your partner, your dream could be prompting you to acknowledge and seek to resolve them.
When analysing your dream, think through all the different details and emotions you experienced. All of these are keys to its meaning. You’ll know when you’ve hit on the right explanation – all the parts will come together in one clear story.
Good luck with your interpretation, and sleep tight.