homeland
noun
home·land
ˈhōm-ˌland 
also -lənd
plural homelands
1
: the native land or country of one's parents, one's ancestors, or oneself
our ancestral homeland
hadn't seen their homeland since they were children
2
: a state or area designated as a state for a people of a particular national, cultural, or racial origin
They are fighting for an independent homeland.
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security [=a department in the U.S. government that is responsible for the safety of the U.S. and its citizens]
specifically, in South African history
: any of several all-Black enclaves that had a limited degree of self-government : bantustan
Examples of homeland in a Sentence
He returned to his homeland for the first time in many years.
The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland.
Recent Examples on the Web
The series will track the pair as they are pulled between allegiance to their homeland, their sense of self and their bonds as a family, while a relentless Korean counterintelligence agent edges closer to exposing them.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
For example, my homeland, Ogoniland, was declared a protectorate in 1914 after the British responded violently to opposition from the Ogoni people.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
As security officers work without pay, leading many to call out of work or quit, federal immigration agents were dispatched to airports across the country, ramping up a fight in Washington that stems from disagreements over homeland security funding.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, suggested that citizens who recorded agents with their cell phones in public be tried for stalking, a count typically brought only in domestic-violence cases.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for homeland
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Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
For example, my homeland, Ogoniland, was declared a protectorate in 1914 after the British responded violently to opposition from the Ogoni people.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
As security officers work without pay, leading many to call out of work or quit, federal immigration agents were dispatched to airports across the country, ramping up a fight in Washington that stems from disagreements over homeland security funding.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, suggested that citizens who recorded agents with their cell phones in public be tried for stalking, a count typically brought only in domestic-violence cases.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for homeland
Cite this Entry
“Homeland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homeland. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
homeland
noun
home·land
ˈhōm-ˌland
: native land : fatherland
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