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
Synonyms
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
Signatories included former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger, Olivia Troye, a former homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, and William Webster, former director of both the CIA and FBI.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
In between, the outlines of their homeland shifted again and again, with the Napoleonic invasion of Hessen, in 1806, the Congress of Vienna and post-Napoleonic redivisions of Europe, and, eventually, the rise of Otto von Bismarck.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Sikh separatists demand an independent homeland known as Khalistan to be carved out of India.
—Fox News, 30 Oct. 2024
That movie was a mixed bag — watchable but no match for Moland’s own homeland original, In Order of Disappearance, a terrific Stellan Skarsgard vehicle that more effectively nailed the blend of tragedy, bloody violence and mordant humor.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for homeland 
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
In between, the outlines of their homeland shifted again and again, with the Napoleonic invasion of Hessen, in 1806, the Congress of Vienna and post-Napoleonic redivisions of Europe, and, eventually, the rise of Otto von Bismarck.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Sikh separatists demand an independent homeland known as Khalistan to be carved out of India.
—Fox News, 30 Oct. 2024
That movie was a mixed bag — watchable but no match for Moland’s own homeland original, In Order of Disappearance, a terrific Stellan Skarsgard vehicle that more effectively nailed the blend of tragedy, bloody violence and mordant humor.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for homeland
Dictionary Entries Near homeland
Cite this Entry
“Homeland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homeland. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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homeland
noun
home·land
ˈhōm-ˌland
: native land : fatherland
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