Dreaming About Cockroaches: 24 Interpretations

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Decipher what’s been crawling through your mind with our dream guide

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Cockroach Dream Meanings

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Cockroach Dream Scenarios

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Religious Interpretations of Cockroach Dreams

Seeing roaches in your dreams can be totally unnerving, but they’re not always a bad sign. Roach dreams can be interpreted in a variety of ways based on content, context, and personal experience. Studying dreams has long been considered to be a way to divine messages from the unconscious and other worlds, so if you’ve been dreaming about cockroaches, keep reading to find all the interpretations of those little (and not so little!)

This article is based on an interview with our international intuitive counselor and happiness coach, Kari Samuels. Check out the full interview here.bugs.

Things You Should Know

If you’re scared or grossed out in your dream, it could mean it's time to clear out the clutter—physically, mentally, or in your relationships.
When you’re unbothered by the roaches, or see a red roach, the dream’s often a sign of strength, resilience, and good luck.
Many cultures see cockroach dreams as good omens. You could be spiritually connected or about to receive a great gift.

Section 1 of 3:

Cockroach Dream Meanings

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A need to clean Roaches are considered dirty animals, so your mind might be telling you it’s time for a spring cleaning.^{[1]XResearch source} If you’re looking to improve your hygiene, start by cleaning your home and keeping a regular bathing schedule. You’ll be on your way to a healthier life in no time.
- This interpretation is especially relevant when the roaches crawl over your hands.
- It isn’t just about physical cleanliness either. You could be receiving a message to clear the clutter out of your mind and tend to your mental health. Practice meditation or schedule some time with a counselor to keep your mind clean.
Have you ever heard the myth that cockroaches can survive a nuclear bomb? While that isn’t true, roaches are incredibly resilient. When you’re facing an upcoming difficult situation and you see cockroaches in a dream, it could be a sign that you’ll be able to bounce back.^{[2]XResearch source}
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The dirtiness that’s associated with cockroaches can be what’s spilling into your unconscious mind. In these dreams, especially if you’re totally grossed out, you could be seeing a reflection of the disgust you have in your waking life. This could come from being around people you don’t like or being stuck in a bad situation.
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Shame Having cockroaches fill your dreams can sometimes point toward feelings of shame and embarrassment. If you kill a cockroach and get guts on your hand or you chase a cockroach and can’t catch up to it, the dream may be telling you to shine a light on the parts of yourself you’re not happy with.
- Pratcing shadow work, where you face the aspects of yourself that you don’t like, can help you overcome and accept your shortcomings.
- Developing your intuition can help you find where your attention needs to be directed. Meditate to calm yourself down, then start asking yourself yes and no questions. You can start easy by saying things like “Is this my name?” and then move on to questions you don’t consciously know the answer to.
The strength of the cockroach empowers you! If you successfully get rid of the roaches in your dream it could mean that you’re ready for new responsibilities and challenges in your life.^{[3]XResearch source} You may be stepping up for a promotion in your job, leading up a club, or even having a baby.
Due to their resemblance to eggs, cockroaches have been associated with rebirth and change. Seeing flattened roaches in a dream could mean new opportunities will be available to you, perhaps sooner than you think.
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Hidden thoughts Roaches always seem to pop up out of nowhere. They like to hang out in small, dark places, so hiding roaches can be symbols of repressed thoughts seeping up into your mind.^{[4]XResearch source}
- It’s part of human nature to avoid pain, and sometimes that means not thinking your thoughts or processing emotions. Things always seem to be revealed in dreams, however…
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Female dominance Female cockroaches can reproduce asexually (which is a little scary) and lay up to 16 eggs at a time—that’s a recipe for a lot of roaches! The female roach’s ability to exist and reproduce by herself symbolizes strong feminine energy and self-fortitude.
- It can be hard to tell what the sex of a roach is in a dream, but if it’s laying eggs it’s a pretty good indication that it’s female.
- If you’re a man having this dream it may mean a strong woman will start influencing your life.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If you’re a woman having this dream, it may mean you’re about to change for the better.

Section 2 of 3:

Cockroach Dream Scenarios

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Roaches in one area Dreaming about a small concentration of cockroaches can mean it’s time for you to take risks. You’re being given a rare opportunity to make serious changes in your life, so take that leap and grab hold of your destiny.
- Think about the risks you’re trying to take. Do you want to ask someone out, but you’re afraid of what they’ll say? Do you want to quit your job but don’t know what life will hold for you after? Now may be the best time for you to act, before the opportunity passes you by.
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House infested with cockroaches This dream means just what it does in real life: clean things up before they get out of hand. If you’re seeing swarms of cockroaches rooting around the crevices of your dreams, this could be an unconscious sign that something seriously needs your attention.^{[6]XResearch source}
- The good thing about this dream is that it means it’s not too late to change. You’re in control of your own life and if you find the root of the problem you can stop it in its tracks.
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Cockroaches crawling on you This dream can point to a promise you don’t want to uphold in waking life. You may have bitten off more than you can chew and are left with the consequences of disappointing someone. Before you promise anything, make sure it’s in your capabilities to keep it.
- Maybe those roaches just think you’re neat. A positive interpretation of this dream is that you’re very attractive (that’s why they want to be all over you) and that people in your life are going to offer you their support. Take note of how you feel; if you’re calm this dream is probably a good sign.
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Killing a cockroach Since there are so many different interpretations of cockroaches, there are a ton of different ways this dream could go. If the roach represents hardships and bad omens, this dream is about you overcoming them. If the roach represents strength and resilience, this dream may mean you’re lost and don’t know how to move forward.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Pay attention to how you feel when you kill it. Are you filled with relief? Then it may signal the end of hardships. If you feel remorse, you may have killed your own luck and motivation.
- If you think the dream means you’re becoming untethered from your goals, just make some new ones! Start small, and work your way up to bigger changes. Working on things relevant to you now and doing what you want to will always be easier than accomplishing last year’s goal.
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Being attacked by a cockroach Being attacked is usually a pretty bad sign. This dream can be foretelling an injustice in your life. You may be blamed for something you didn’t do, or wrongfully punished.^{[8]XResearch source} Reach out to your support system to get help during troubling times.
- This dream can also mean you’re feeling spiritually and physically exhausted. Maybe it’s time to take a break! If you’re someone who’s always on the go, schedule a date with yourself to just enjoy being alone.
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Seeing a dead cockroach A good cockroach is a dead cockroach…right? It turns out that’s not always the case. The meaning of this dream depends on which way the cockroach is facing when you find it. If it’s face up, that’s a good sign. It may mean you’ve overcome a recent hardship or annoyance in your life. If it’s face down, however, it can represent stagnation.^{[9]XResearch source}
- A face-down cockroach can also mean something has ended before it could begin. It could be a goal you weren’t able to accomplish or an unfulfilled wish that's now out of reach. Remember though, whenever something ends there’s room for a new beginning!
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Dreaming of a cockroach in your bed There’s nothing quite so scary as feeling something crawling on your leg after you get between the sheets. You’re most vulnerable while in your bed—you sleep there, after all—so this dream could be telling you something bad is coming your way in a familiar place. Trust yourself more than your surroundings, and you’ll get through this.
- By grounding yourself you’ll be able to muster the strength to stay standing in shifting environments.
Red cockroaches are usually signs of good luck. Especially if you’re not too bothered they can symbolize a gift that will be given to you, financial prosperity, and feelings of gratitude. The next time you see a red cockroach in a dream, be excited for what’s to come.^{[10]XResearch source}
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Seeing a black cockroach Black cockroaches, or Oriental cockroaches, are flightless insects associated with bad omens. Their inability to fly, despite having wings, makes them associated with being weighed down and not being able to escape a bad situation.
- If you kill a black cockroach in a dream, this can symbolize getting through a dark time.
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Seeing a white cockroach White is usually a positive symbol in dreams—sometimes meaning peace, sometimes meaning purity—but not in this case. A white cockroach means that there’s something treacherous afoot. Someone may be going behind your back or being malicious just for fun.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Sometimes, this dream means you’re losing motivation, especially if you’re feeling that way in waking life. Refocus on what’s important to you, and spend your energy on what you really want to do.
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Numerous cockroaches If you’re seeing a specific number of cockroaches and not just a swarm, try to remember how many you saw. There are certain numbers that are of significance and may reveal more about your dream. If you know your lucky numbers in numerology, keep an eye out for them.
- For example, seeing three cockroaches can mean a spirit is watching over you. The number three is associated with clarity and connection to the divine.

Section 3 of 3:

Religious Interpretations of Cockroach Dreams

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In parts of Asia, cockroaches are often associated with evil omens and misfortune. This, once again, is because of the dark and dirty places roaches like to hang out. In Chinese mythology specifically, cockroach dreams are symbolic of wartime and being controlled.^{[12]XResearch source}
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Islamic interpretations in Islam, roaches are almost always a sign of bad luck or a reflection of your own ideas about luck. The context of your dream determines what omens it may carry.
- If you’re trying to catch a cockroach but it keeps running away, that can mean someone in your social circle has bad intentions for you. Reevaluate who you’re surrounding yourself with and who you can trust.^{[13]XResearch source}
- If the roach is running through your house, that points to a hidden, minor enemy within your family. They won’t cause you too much harm, but they can still trouble your life.
Cockroaches are associated with filth and darkness in the Bible, so cockroach dreams can be an indication of sin in someone’s life.^{[14]XResearch source} It’s not a punishment, however, just a warning that you may need to change certain behaviors.
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Interpretations in Judaism Cockroaches can represent fear and blockages on the path to spiritual enlightenment. If you’re having a nightmare about roaches, it may mean a serious change is in order to help your personal growth.^{[15]XResearch source}
- If you’re a religious person or Kabbalist (a member of the mystical Jewish tradition of Kabbalah) this dream could be telling you to take a new approach to your spirituality.
Cockroaches aren’t all bad in Chinese spiritual practices. The bugs have been assigned to the number 3 in numerology, which represents a free spirit and connection to the three balancing forces of the life trinity.^{[16]XResearch source}