1
: to remain for a time
dwell in the hallway
2
3
a
: to keep the attention directed
—used with on or upon
tried not to dwell on my fears
b
: to speak or write insistently
—used with on or upon
reporters dwelling on the recent scandal
Examples of dwell in a Sentence
a cave where bats dwell
dwelling with a farm family as an exchange student in France
Recent Examples on the Web
However, Wröbel emphasized that dwelling on the past isn’t the way forward.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
Coach Steve Pikiell’s squad needed overtime to clip 15th-place Northwestern and cellar-dwelling Oregon for its only two conference victories.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
As with the 2025 bill, Gaetz' proposal seeks to prohibit the owner of an accessory dwelling from offering the unit for rent for less than one month.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Thompson doesn’t end by dwelling on such hate.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dwell
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
Coach Steve Pikiell’s squad needed overtime to clip 15th-place Northwestern and cellar-dwelling Oregon for its only two conference victories.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
As with the 2025 bill, Gaetz' proposal seeks to prohibit the owner of an accessory dwelling from offering the unit for rent for less than one month.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Thompson doesn’t end by dwelling on such hate.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dwell
Cite this Entry
“Dwell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwell. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
