homeless: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, academic, social work
Quick answer
What does “homeless” mean?
without a home.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
without a home; having nowhere to live.
Pertaining to or characteristic of people who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; often used to describe the condition, population, or services related to this situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in core meaning. The term 'rough sleeping' is more common in UK English for the specific act of sleeping outdoors, whereas US English might use 'sleeping on the streets'.
Connotations
Both carry strong social and policy implications. Can be seen as a neutral descriptor in formal contexts, but terms like 'unhoused' or 'people experiencing homelessness' are increasingly preferred for being more person-first.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both variants due to the universal social issue.
Grammar
How to Use “homeless” in a Sentence
BE/become/go + homelessprovide for/help/support + the homelessVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “homeless” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No verb form]
American English
- [No verb form]
adverb
British English
- [No adverb form]
American English
- [No adverb form]
adjective
British English
- After the flood, hundreds of families were left homeless.
- The council has a duty to house homeless families.
American English
- The city is struggling to support its homeless population.
- She volunteers at a shelter for homeless veterans.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) contexts: 'The company donated to a homeless charity.'
Academic
Common in sociology, public policy, urban studies: 'Structural factors contributing to youth homelessness were analysed.'
Everyday
Common in news and general discussion: 'There's a new homeless shelter opening downtown.'
Technical
Used in social work and legal contexts with specific definitions (e.g., 'HUD definition of homelessness').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “homeless”
- Using 'homeless' as a singular countable noun (INCORRECT: 'He is a homeless.' CORRECT: 'He is homeless' or 'He is a homeless person.'). Overusing 'the homeless' without 'people' can be seen as depersonalizing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Homeless' is primarily an adjective. You must say 'a homeless person/man/woman/child'. 'The homeless' is a collective noun for the group.
'Homeless' is the standard term implying lack of a permanent, safe place to live. 'Houseless' is less common and can sometimes imply lacking a physical house but possibly having a home (e.g., in a community), though it's often used interchangeably.
Yes, but only in the plural collective form 'the homeless' (e.g., 'programmes to help the homeless'). It is not a countable noun for an individual.
In many professional and advocacy contexts, 'unhoused' or 'people experiencing homelessness' are preferred because they describe a situation rather than defining a person by their lack of housing. 'Homeless' remains widely used and understood.
without a home.
Homeless is usually formal, journalistic, academic, social work in register.
Homeless: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhəʊm.ləs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhoʊm.ləs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly from 'homeless'. Related: 'down and out', 'on skid row']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HOME-LESS. Literally 'less a home' or 'lacking a home'.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOMELESSNESS IS A JOURNEY/STATE ('path out of homelessness', 'cycle of homelessness'), HOMELESSNESS IS A BURDEN ('the burden of homelessness on services').
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is considered more person-first and modern?