Synonyms

dwelling

American

[dwel-ing] / ˈdwɛl ɪŋ /

noun

a building or place of shelter to live in; place of residence; abode; home.

dwelling British

/ ˈdwɛlɪŋ /

noun

formal a place of residence

"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

Related Words

See house.

Other Word Forms

multidwelling noun

Etymology

Origin of dwelling

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; dwell + -ing ¹

Explanation

A dwelling is a home — where someone lives. Houses, apartments, and condos are all dwellings. If you know that to dwell means to live somewhere, then the meaning of dwelling won't be a surprise: it's an abode, domicile, or home. Your dwelling might be a house or an apartment. Tents, trailers, and igloos are all dwellings. Anything people live in is a dwelling. If you have no dwelling, then you have no shelter and you're probably homeless.

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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.

Fatone, 49, purchased the sprawling 10,000-square-foot Orlando dwelling for $2.65 million in August 2001, when he and his bandmates—Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, and Chris Kirkpatrick—were at the height of their fame.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

With the main house finished for now, Fahmy hopes to turn the garage into an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, in the style of Mexican architect Luis Barragán: bold with color and texture.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

According to property records, Trainor initially listed the seven-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom dwelling for $11.99 million in June 2024.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

Jailing Garner, Judge Brian Cummings KC said: "The suffering experienced by Mr McColl was quite unspeakable and really does not bear dwelling on."

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

There was no point in dwelling on it.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023