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

Displaced families often spend weeks, sometimes months, in makeshift dwellings, including public squares and deserted government buildings, while children lose months or even years of education as schools close or become inaccessible owing to gang activity. —Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026

According to SurreyLive, the Loseley Park house was constructed expressly to entertain Elizabeth, who’d complained of the lack of suitable dwellings in the area. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026

Elser also ended up purchasing the empty property below to transform her home into a four-story dwelling after visiting for the first time. —Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026

Walnut Canyon National Monument, Island Trail Dozens of prehistoric cliff dwellings built by the Sinagua people are tucked away in the contours of Walnut Canyon, east of Flagstaff. —Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 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.