Word
homeless
Phoneticshome·less, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhoʊmɫəs/
UK/hˈəʊmləs/
Definitions
01lacking a home
B1 · Intermediate General-service
adj. having no permanent place to live, often sleeping on the street or in shelters.
adj. lacking a permanent place of residence. This is a non-gradable adjective; one is either homeless or not, though 'chronically' may modify the duration.
“The charity provides hot meals and warm blankets for homeless people in the city.”
“After the factory closed, many families found themselves homeless and were forced to rely on local emergency shelters for accommodation.”
Synonyms
02people without homes
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun General-service
n. people who do not have a home, usually talked about as a group.
n. a collective noun referring to people who lack permanent housing. It is typically preceded by 'the' and functions as a plural noun.
“The government is opening new shelters to help the homeless during the winter.”
“Advocacy groups argue that the city must invest in long-term housing solutions rather than temporary fixes for the homeless.”
Usage
Always used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the group.
Pitfall
There are many homelesses in this area.
There are many homeless people in this area.
You cannot make 'homeless' plural with an 's'. Use 'the homeless' for the group or 'homeless people' for individuals.
Teaching tip
While 'the homeless' is common, some modern style guides prefer 'people experiencing homelessness' to avoid defining people solely by their situation.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “homeless” in context.
Verb
01. become homeless
“Many families are at risk of becoming homeless due to the rising cost of rent.”
verb + adj
02. help the homeless
“The local charity works tirelessly to help the homeless by providing hot meals and blankets.”
verb + adj
03. house the homeless
“The city council has launched a new initiative to house the homeless in converted shipping containers.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. chronically homeless
“The government is focusing on support for chronically homeless individuals who have been on the streets for years.”
adv + adj
05. homeless people
“The shelter provides a safe place for homeless people to sleep during the winter months.”
adj + noun
06. homeless shelter
“She spends her weekends volunteering at a homeless shelter in the city center.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. homeless population
“The census aims to accurately count the homeless population to better allocate resources.”
adj + noun
08. homeless youth
“Specific programs are needed to address the unique challenges faced by homeless youth.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“The homeless charity runs a weekly event in Charing Cross, where volunteers hand out hot meals.” “People who are homeless will also be more exposed to the sun.” Etymology
From Middle English homles, hamles, from Old English hāmlēas (“homeless”), equivalent to home + -less. Cognate with Dutch heemloos, Danish hjemløs (“homeless”), Swedish hemlös (“homeless”). Compare also German heimatlos (“homeless”), Icelandic heimilislaus (“homeless”), West Frisian dakleas (“homeless”, literally “having no roof, roofless”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
01. homeless dumping
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/homeless