dwelling

noun

dwell·​ing ˈdwe-liŋ 

: a shelter (such as a house) in which people live

Synonyms of dwelling

• residence
• abode
• house
• roof
• lodging
• home
• housing

Examples of dwelling in a Sentence

the simple dwellings in which the Pilgrims spent the first winter at Plymouth

Recent Examples on the Web

Most of the grace-and-favour dwellings are going to their current or retired staff, for example. —Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026

Home to the Brewster family for more than 300 years, this dwelling which was first built with just one room in 1665, eventually expanded to become the saltbox structure seen today. —Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Mesa Verde continues to hold great cultural significance for the 27 pueblos and tribes whose ancestors once called the canyons, farms, cliffside and mesa dwellings home or who have other ties to the area. —Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026

The four-bedroom, four-bathroom dwelling, which wraps around a circa 1920 Spanish Revival–style observation tower, spans about 5,000 square feet. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 8 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see dwell

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dwelling

• dwelling place
• lake dwelling
• two-family house/dwelling

Rhymes for dwelling

• belling
• celling
• fehling
• felling
• gelling
• pelling
• quelling
• selling
• shelling
• smelling
• spelling
• swelling

Kids Definition

dwelling

noun

dwell·​ing

ˈdwel-iŋ

: a shelter in which people live : house

Legal Definition

dwelling

noun

dwell·​ing

: a structure where a person lives and especially sleeps

called also dwelling house

see also burglary

Note: Courts disagree as to how permanent or consistent the habitation of a structure must be in order for it to be considered a dwelling, but most courts agree that a dwelling includes its curtilage.