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Synonyms

homesteading

American  
[hohm-sted-ing] / ˈhoʊmˌstɛd ɪŋ /

noun

  1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.

  2. Also called urban homesteading.  Also called homesteading program,.  a federal program to improve deteriorating urban areas by offering abandoned or foreclosed houses to persons who agree to repair them and live in them for a specified number of years.


homesteading British  
/ ˈhəʊmˌstɛdɪŋ /

noun

    1. a scheme whereby council tenants are enabled to buy derelict property from the council and renovate it with the aid of Government grants

    2. ( as modifier )

      a homesteading scheme

"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

Etymology

Origin of homesteading

First recorded in 1890–95, for earlier sense “homestead”; homestead + -ing 1

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.

See Examples For:

“We were basically homesteading the first 12 years. For the longest time, we didn’t have plumbing. We were using outhouses and washing dishes in the lake,” he admitted.

From MarketWatch Jul. 1, 2026

Nead: If you think about someone like Bekah Martinez, a former contestant, she does more homesteading content now, and she’s so real and raw.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 3, 2026

They are quietly managing empires and businesses of their own while telegraphing homesteading realness, shielding their own version of a “girlboss” reality.

From Slate Dec. 2, 2024

In that time, she’s seen two periods of sharp growth: once at the start of the pandemic and now as viewers seek DIY homesteading hacks, gig-economy side hustles and, of course, free merch.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 10, 2023

I’d rather read the railroad pamphlets, which make homesteading sound as easy as rubbing a magic lamp.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

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