Definition of hovelnext
as in hut
a small, simply constructed, and often temporary dwelling refugees living in crowded hovels

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hovel The ceiling, in contrast to my first hovel, couldn’t be reached except by a tall ladder. — Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026 My friend was the definition of a reluctant landlord — an anti-Establishment type who furnished her grad-school hovel with wine crates and avoided any talk of money. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Jan. 2026 In what by American standards would be considered a hovel, Gong is raised by his aging grandparents, his mother having abandoned him as a small child. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025 Renaissance palaces next to hovels, 194 churches, and the domed roofs of onetime mosques—all reminders of countless invaders. — Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Mar. 2019 See All Example Sentences for hovel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovel
Noun
  • These included updating the warming hut and clubhouse and adding a mountain bike park.
    — Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The former taxi driver had been arrested three years earlier after police unearthed a mass grave in a forest ‌near the Indian Ocean town of Malindi, where his followers had been living in mud huts.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The church investigated the first incident in 2005 but did not report it to law enforcement when the victims couldn’t positively identify the perpetrator, and the man returned for the 2006 camp.
    — John Hanna, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Overall, both Barrera and Shaw fit squarely within their ideological camps.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The storm made landfall Friday near Destin, Florida, a Gulf Coast area known for powdery white-sand beaches and dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars, and seafood shacks.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The low-lying coastal area is known for its powdery white sand beaches dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars and seafood shacks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Jessie and Gerald Burlingame rent a cabin in Alabama for a sexy weekend, things go very awry.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The lower deck also features an owner’s suite with private access to the aft deck and can also be outfitted with two or three guest cabins, plus the crew quarters.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hovel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovel. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster