Meaning & use
homeless person
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
a person who does not have a place to live
Grammar: Countable: a homeless person, two homeless people. 'People' is the usual plural, not 'persons'.
Patterns
- a homeless person
- help homeless people
The charity provides meals for homeless people every evening.
She stopped to talk to a homeless person outside the station.
Many homeless people struggle to find stable work.
Word forms
| plural | homeless people |
|---|
Common combinations
- help homeless people
- Volunteers help homeless people find shelter during cold nights.
- a homeless person on the street
- A homeless person on the street asked for directions to the shelter.
- support for homeless people
- The city increased support for homeless people last year.
- homeless people in the area
- There are many homeless people in the area near the park.
Synonyms and how they differ
- person experiencing homelessness
- More formal and respectful, often used in official contexts; 'homeless person' is more direct.
- rough sleeper
- British, specifically someone who sleeps outdoors, not just anyone without a home.
Opposites
Word family
- homeless adjective
- without a home
- homelessness noun
- the state of not having a home
Commonly confused: homeless person or the homeless?
homeless person vs the homeless
This collective term can sound impersonal; 'homeless people' or 'homeless person' is preferred when talking about individuals.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'homeless person' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Homeless person' is singular and takes a singular verb, so 'The homeless person was given a blanket' is correct. The other options have incorrect grammar or meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “homeless person”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.