dwell

verb

dwelled ˈdweld How to pronounce dwell (audio)
ˈdwelt
or dwelt ˈdwelt How to pronounce dwell (audio) ; dwelling

intransitive verb

1
: to remain for a time
dwell in the hallway
2
a
: to live as a resident
the town in which he dwelled for eight years
the dwelling place of the gods
b
: exist, lie
where the heart of the matter dwells
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
dweller noun

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
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.
That's why the actress, author and activist is bringing a little slice of her Vancouver Island dwelling to the center of New York City with the launch of her two-day Sonsie Garden pop-up in celebration of her mindful beauty brand. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 The Hurricanes aren’t dwelling on the past now. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025 The Acjachemen people dwelled for 10,000 years on land that stretched from Long Beach to the north, Las Pulgas to the south, and Temecula to the east, said Chris Lobo, who has ancestral ties to the Juaneño, Luiseno and Diegueño tribes. Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 20 Oct. 2025 Shildt was an old-timer, relying more on feel and instinct than the cellar-dwelling nerds who run the sport with impossible numbers that don’t mean a damn thing. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dwell

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English dwellan to go astray, hinder; akin to Old High German twellen to tarry

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dwell was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dwell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwell. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

dwell

verb
dwelled ˈdweld How to pronounce dwell (audio) ˈdwelt How to pronounce dwell (audio) or dwelt ˈdwelt How to pronounce dwell (audio) ; dwelling
1
: to stay for a while
2
: to live in a place : reside
3
: to keep the attention directed
dwelled on their mistakes
dweller noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dwell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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