dwelling

noun

dwell·​ing ˈdwe-liŋ 

: a shelter (such as a house) in which people live

Synonyms

• 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

For centuries, the land was the private dwelling of emperors and pontiffs until 2014, when Pope Francis opened the papal gardens to the public. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025

Britain’s equally neoclassical exterior is veiled in charcoal briquettes, clay, and beads, inspired by the manyatta dwellings of the Kenyan Maasai people. —Kate Wagner, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025

The name comes from local folklore, which imagined the chambers as dwellings for magical beings. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Some impressive expressive flourishes—the handiwork of Martyn Lawrence Bullard—distinguish the actor’s Southern California dwelling, starting with some quintessentially mid-mod wood surfaces as well as stone accents across the façade and pool deck. —Will Speros, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 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.