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

Before the blaze, the city Department of Buildings slapped a partial vacate order on the address because the owner had subdivided the second and third floors into multiple dwellings, officials said. —Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026

Larrel Martin Weathers, 39, was convicted Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court of second-degree murder, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and being a felon in possession of a firearm in the June 21, 2021, shooting death of Marcellus Cory Baker-Lee. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026

Three bedrooms plus four-and-a-half baths create quite the dwelling for anyone who loves to entertain. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026

Typically, ADUs are required to be smaller than the main dwelling and can’t be sold separately. —Mark Dee march 27, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 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.