reside

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitiveformal

   To have your home in a particular place for a long time.

   Grammar: No object; used with in or at: she resides in Leeds.

   Patterns

   • reside in somewhere
   • reside at somewhere

   The family resides in a small town near the coast.

   Applicants must reside in the state for at least a year.

   The author currently resides at an address in Dublin.

2. 2verbintransitiveformal

   To be found within something, as a quality or power belongs to it.

   Grammar: Abstract use, followed by in: power resides in the people.

   Patterns

   • reside in something
   • reside with someone

   The real power resides in the board of directors.

   The charm of the village resides in its quiet streets.

   Responsibility for the decision resides with the manager.

Word forms

Common combinations

reside in

They reside in a flat above the shop.

currently reside

She currently resides in Toronto.

legally reside

You must legally reside in the country to apply.

permanently reside

He permanently resides abroad.

authority resides in

Final authority resides in the court.

Synonyms and how they differ

live

Live is the normal everyday word, while reside is formal and used in documents.

dwell

Dwell is literary and old-fashioned, and sounds poetic.

inhabit

Inhabit takes a direct object, as in inhabit a region, and usually names large areas.

lodge

Lodge means to stay temporarily, which reside does not imply.

Opposites

Word family

resident noun

a person who lives in a place

residence noun

a place where someone lives

residential adjective

relating to homes

residency noun

the status of living in a place

Commonly confused: reside or preside?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “reside”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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