verb
dwell
dwehl
verb
1
To live or reside in a place.
"The family has dwelt in this village for generations."
2
To keep thinking or talking about something, often unnecessarily.
"Try not to dwell on the mistake — just move forward."
"She kept dwelling on what she should have said."
How to Use Dwell
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo live somewhere, or to keep mentally returning to a thought.
When to use it
"Dwell" meaning "to live" sounds literary or formal — everyday speech usually says "live" instead.
Common pairings
dwell on something
dwell in a place
Word Forms
dwelt past tense, dwelled past tense, dwells plural, dwells singular
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Etymology
From Old English dwellan, "to mislead" or "go astray," which shifted in meaning over time to "linger" and then "reside."