homeless

adjective

home·​less ˈhōm-ləs How to pronounce homeless (audio)
: having no home or permanent place of residence : unhoused
homelessness noun

Examples of homeless in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For seven years, Varma has fed the city’s roaming strays – a silent pact she’s made with these homeless dogs after adopting a puppy born under the staircase of her home. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025 Experts caution that those counts are estimates, at best, and likely undercount homeless populations. Calmatters, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025 So far, 48 homeless encampments have been removed and officials are working to clear more, the White House official said. Sarah Beth Guevara, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2025 Since 2012, more than 350 homeless people have died after being hit by vehicles, according to data from the San Diego County medical examiner’s office. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for homeless

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of homeless was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Homeless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homeless. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

homeless

adjective
home·​less -ləs How to pronounce homeless (audio)
: having no home or permanent residence
homelessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on homeless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!