homelessness

American  

[hohm-lis-nis] / ˈhoʊm lɪs nɪs /

noun

1. lack of permanent housing, especially this condition generally as a matter of public concern.

   The city partners with community groups to offer resources for youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

2. lack of a feeling of belonging; rootlessness or restlessness.

   He writes about a feeling of homelessness after immigration, when he felt neither firmly bound to his native culture nor fully adapted to the new one.

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Sensitive Note

See homeless ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of homelessness

First recorded in 1810–20; homeless ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

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Explanation

Homelessness is a situation in which people don't have a place to live. A family experiencing homelessness might need to temporarily stay in a city shelter or with a relative. Homelessness is a state of being without a home. The word usually describes the circumstances of people who have fallen on hard times and don't have the money or ability to acquire a safe, stable place to live. Homelessness is a widespread problem across the U.S., with causes that include poverty, addiction, domestic violence, low wages, and lack of affordable housing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

homelessness

Horvath, whose district takes in 2 million people, said Raman will shake up the status quo, bringing a new approach to homelessness, housing affordability, emergency preparedness and other issues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Horvath was once on friendly terms with Bass, supporting her initial responses to the homelessness crisis and even introducing her at the mayor’s State of the City address in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Why are vulnerable people, including victims of domestic violence and those facing homelessness, not getting the supported housing they’ve been promised?

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Raman said she has shown concrete results in her Hollywood Hills district, cutting unsheltered homelessness — the number of people living outside or in their cars — by roughly half compared to the previous year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

All that money that could help other species or other conservation efforts or tackle human problems such as homelessness or poverty—for one species?

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

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