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

São Paulo, the most populous city in the Americas, has become the symbolic epicenter of this housing struggle, if only for the cruel irony of having more vacant dwellings than unsheltered people. —Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

Up until now, the region has sparsely used the miniature dwellings to house homeless people and relied mostly on congregate shelters and its motel shelter program. —Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025

He has been charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, battery and indecent exposure. —Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025

Value boosters like electric vehicle charging stations, energy-efficient appliances, and zero-energy-ready dwellings will continue to surge in popularity throughout the next year as buyers seek out ways to save time and money in their new homes. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025

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.