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

These houses typically had only one entrance and no windows, and openings of homes and town gates were very low so that several people could not enter at the same time; the entrances to the dwellings of the Gurunsi were only 70 centimeters high. —Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025

The ordinance requires that short-term rentals have no more than eight persons staying in a dwelling at once, with only two persons per bedroom. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 5 Dec. 2025

Hollywood Hills dwelling In the ’60s and ’70s, Ford resided in a home in the Hollywood Hills. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 4 Dec. 2025

The structure is expandable up to 800 square feet and can be configured as either a single- or two-story dwelling. —Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 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.