dwell
Americanverb (used without object)
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to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.
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to live or continue in a given condition or state.
to dwell in happiness.
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to linger over, emphasize, or ponder in thought, speech, or writing (often followed by on orupon ).
to dwell on a particular point in an argument.
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(of a moving tool or machine part) to be motionless for a certain interval during operation.
noun
verb
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formal to live as a permanent resident
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to live (in a specified state)
to dwell in poverty
noun
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a regular pause in the operation of a machine
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a flat or constant-radius portion on a linear or rotary cam enabling the cam follower to remain static for a brief time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dwellsimple
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dwellssimple
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have dwelledperfect
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have dweltperfect
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has dwelledperfect
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has dweltperfect
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am dwellingprogressive
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are dwellingprogressive
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is dwellingprogressive
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have been dwellingperfect progressive
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has been dwellingperfect progressive
Past
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dwelledsimple
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dweltsimple
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had dwelledperfect
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had dweltperfect
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was dwellingprogressive
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were dwellingprogressive
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had been dwellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dwell
First recorded before 900; Middle English dwellen “to lead astray; stun; abide,” Old English dwellan “to lead or go astray; hinder”; cognate with Old Norse dvelja
Explanation
To dwell in a home is to live in it. To dwell on something — usually something bad, like a failed romance or terrible service in a restaurant — is to think or speak about it at great length. Dwell has been part of the English language for over 1,000 years. The definition of the word has evolved considerably since its first recorded use in the 9th century when Old English dwellan meant "lead astray" or "hinder." If you constantly dwell on the bad things in life, it could hinder you from seeing the good or lead you astray to the negative. If you keep complaining, your friends might tell you to stop dwelling on it or, if they're really annoyed, they'll say, "Get over it!"
Vocabulary lists containing dwell
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was featured in Dwell magazine when it was offered for sale in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026
And Joy Dunlop, a BBC Weather presenter and Gaelic singer, will sing Gaelic psalm And I Shall Dwell in God's House, which was composed by Paul Mealor for the service.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2023
In all, Dwell has installed 250 EV chargers in the homes it’s built.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 10, 2022
“The challenge is what is exciting in architecture,” he said in a 2016 interview with the magazine Dwell.
From Washington Post • Jun. 14, 2022
Dwell here, my dear Friends; and then, in remote and solitary Desarts, you may find true Peace and Satisfaction.
From John Woolman's Journal by Woolman, John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
