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Synonyms

dwell on

British  

verb

  1. (intr, preposition) to think, speak, or write at length

    it's no good dwelling on your misfortunes
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
dwell on Idioms  

  1. Also, dwell upon. Linger over; ponder, speak or write at length. For example, Let's not dwell on this topic too long; we have a lot to cover today. [c. 1500]

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.

If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

The historian who writes about decline and fall will dwell on the misdeeds of statesmen; the novelist focuses on family.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

It is not, however, a comparison he wants to dwell on.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

In people, this variant influences whether someone tends to dwell on embarrassing experiences or achieve high educational success.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2026

I was glad; I didn’t want to dwell on Sam.

From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

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.