dwell

verb

ˈdwel How to pronounce dwell (audio)
dwelled ˈdweld How to pronounce dwell (audio)
ˈdwelt
 or dwelt ˈdwelt How to pronounce dwell (audio) ; dwelling
Synonyms of dwellnext

intransitive verb

1
: to remain for a time
dwell in the hallway
2
a
: to live as a resident
the town in which he dwelled for eight years
the dwelling place of the gods
b
: exist, lie
where the heart of the matter dwells
3
a
: to keep the attention directed
—used with on or upon
tried not to dwell on my fears
b
: to speak or write insistently
—used with on or upon
reporters dwelling on the recent scandal
dweller
ˈdwe-lər How to pronounce dwell (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of dwell in a Sentence

a cave where bats dwell dwelling with a farm family as an exchange student in France
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.
After a construction inspector saw the gator dwelling inside a storm drain, city animal control and a state game warden were contacted, and the decision was made to simply leave it alone. — Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2025 Then, right on cue, the score picks up with a jaunty tune, signaling that, like Ivano, we’re not supposed to dwell too much on what just happened. — Beandrea July, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025 Instead of dwelling on regret, focus on personal growth and view the experience as a lesson. — Mark Travers, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 But rather than dwelling on past accomplishments, the joint session typically lays out his agenda for the term. — Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dwell

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English dwellan to go astray, hinder; akin to Old High German twellen to tarry

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dwell was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing dwell

Rhymes for dwell

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Browse Nearby Words

dwell
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Cite this Entry

“Dwell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwell. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

dwell

verb
ˈdwel How to pronounce dwell (audio)
dwelled ˈdweld How to pronounce dwell (audio) ˈdwelt How to pronounce dwell (audio) or dwelt ˈdwelt How to pronounce dwell (audio) ; dwelling
1
: to stay for a while
2
: to live in a place : reside
3
: to keep the attention directed
dwelled on their mistakes
dweller noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dwell

Nglish: Translation of dwell for Spanish Speakers

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