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
Exile is a state of being barred from a homeland—of being forced to live in a foreign world as punishment for not conforming.
—
Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Although Greenlanders have always adapted — and could make dog sleds with wheels in future — the loss of the ice is affecting them deeply, said Kristensen, who now runs his own company showing tourists his Arctic homeland.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Set on the eve of the German invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands, the drama explores the situation for Belgian Jews, torn between staying in their homeland amid or fleeing for an unknown destiny, through the prism of a love story and the microcosm of the broadcast radio world.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
With Yemen challenged by the social and economic effects of a sporadic but ongoing civil war between Houthi rebels and the central government, conditions have proven difficult for Almatrahi and his family members to visit their homeland.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for homeland
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Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Although Greenlanders have always adapted — and could make dog sleds with wheels in future — the loss of the ice is affecting them deeply, said Kristensen, who now runs his own company showing tourists his Arctic homeland.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Set on the eve of the German invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands, the drama explores the situation for Belgian Jews, torn between staying in their homeland amid or fleeing for an unknown destiny, through the prism of a love story and the microcosm of the broadcast radio world.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
With Yemen challenged by the social and economic effects of a sporadic but ongoing civil war between Houthi rebels and the central government, conditions have proven difficult for Almatrahi and his family members to visit their homeland.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 14 Feb. 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 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
homeland
noun
home·land
ˈhōm-ˌland
: native land : fatherland
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
