dwell
verb
ˈdwel 
dwelled ˈdweld ; dwelling
ˈdwelt
or dwelt ˈdwelt ; dwelling 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
noun 
Synonyms
- abide
- hang around
- remain
- stay
- stick around
- tarry
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a cave where bats dwell dwelling with a farm family as an exchange student in France
Recent Examples on the Web Richard doesn’t want to dwell on his brother’s last moments or his absence. 
Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2022 No one wants to dwell on the town cars, or the epic expense accounts, or the legions of assistants. New York Times, 4 Dec. 2021 But one person who doesn’t appear eager to dwell on that question, at least not publicly, is Pence himself, who has been biding his time giving speeches and setting up an organization called Advancing American Freedom. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2021 Yet to dwell on these elements is to miss the point—viewed through the prisms of climatological, geological, and evolutionary processes, humans are more or less interchangeable, their parochial concerns necessarily banal. Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021 The series is daring enough to dwell on how miracles and monsters go hand in hand. Matthew J. Cressler, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2021 One thing Larson doesn’t have on his plate is time to dwell on his near miss last year at Pocono Raceway. Dan Gelston, ajc, 23 July 2022 Teachers had the time and flexibility to dwell on more than just the basics of U.S. history and the structure of democratic government. Chelsea Sheasley, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 June 2022 And though the vocal notes were the attraction, Lamar seemed just as content to dwell in dramatic pauses that were pregnant with the crowd’s adulation (and likely gave him a chance to take it all in and catch his breath). Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 See More
Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2022 No one wants to dwell on the town cars, or the epic expense accounts, or the legions of assistants. New York Times, 4 Dec. 2021 But one person who doesn’t appear eager to dwell on that question, at least not publicly, is Pence himself, who has been biding his time giving speeches and setting up an organization called Advancing American Freedom. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2021 Yet to dwell on these elements is to miss the point—viewed through the prisms of climatological, geological, and evolutionary processes, humans are more or less interchangeable, their parochial concerns necessarily banal. Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021 The series is daring enough to dwell on how miracles and monsters go hand in hand. Matthew J. Cressler, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2021 One thing Larson doesn’t have on his plate is time to dwell on his near miss last year at Pocono Raceway. Dan Gelston, ajc, 23 July 2022 Teachers had the time and flexibility to dwell on more than just the basics of U.S. history and the structure of democratic government. Chelsea Sheasley, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 June 2022 And though the vocal notes were the attraction, Lamar seemed just as content to dwell in dramatic pauses that were pregnant with the crowd’s adulation (and likely gave him a chance to take it all in and catch his breath). Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 See More 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
Phrases Containing dwell
Kids Definition
dwell
verb
ˈdwel
dwelt
ˈdwelt
or dwelled ˈdweld
; dwelling 1
: to live in a place : reside
2
: to keep the attention directed
Try not to dwell on your mistakes.
dwelled
verb
variants or dwelt
1
as in remained
to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time dwelling with a farm family as an exchange student in France Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- remained
- stayed
- abode
- tarried
- waited
- lingered
- abided
- hung around
- loitered
- awaited
- stuck around
- held on
- hung on
- dawdled
- dallied
- overstayed
- outstayed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- moved
- left
- went
- departed
- quitted
- exited
- escaped
- bailed
- fled
- packed (up or off)
- walked out
- went off
- quit
- buzzed (off)
- flew
- bailed out
- cleared out
- evacuated
- skipped
- took off
- shoved (off)
- bugged out
- decamped
- absconded
- abandoned
- vacated
- vamoosed
- deserted
- booked
- cleared off
- forsook
- cut out
- pulled out
- ran away
- pushed on
- got off
- pushed off
- peeled off
- piked (out or off)
- scatted
- scrammed
- got out
2
as in lived
to have a home the widow dwells in the valley by herself Synonyms & Similar Words
- lived
- resided
- stayed
- abode
- abided
- inhabited
- occupied
- haunted
- settled
- visited
- lodged
- frequented
- populated
- peopled
- cohabited
- rented
- leased
- tenanted
- hanged (at)
- sublet
- hung (at)