homesick

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "homesick" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the feeling of longing for one's home or familiar surroundings, often experienced when someone is away from home for an extended period. Example: "After spending several months abroad, I started to feel homesick and missed my family and friends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

However, despite these issues, the children give their schools a vote of confidence – they feel happy there, part of the community and feel looked after and treated well, even if they are sometimes homesick.

The Guardian

Why? "Because I was homesick, and I didn't like getting told [what to do] from white people.

The Guardian - Film

A decade ago, I was a homesick English teacher in a tiny, freezing South Korean bedsit.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

It speaks for those who have never left, as well as those who have abandoned, limestone country: "If it form the one landscape that we, the inconstant ones,/ Are constantly homesick for, this is chiefly/ Because it dissolves in water".

The Guardian - Travel

For her, it was the picture of Bahrain built through the eyes of her exiled parents during her childhood in Denmark, and for me it was a feeling of being homesick for Palestine, despite being born and raised in the US.

The Guardian - Opinion

Losing a coach, captain and possibly another senior player like Cooney is tough for the Bulldogs but the compensation or a trade for Griffen from GWS will surely be enticing, especially if it is homesick Victorian Jeremy Cameron.

The Guardian - Sport

"I used to get so homesick.

The Guardian

Was he homesick at the time?

The Guardian - Music

He says he is homesick.

The Guardian - Opinion

Beast, a clothes shop, makes T-shirts celebrating local speech that are famed city-wide (and sold to homesick Bristolians worldwide).

The Economist

Add to that the fact that the dollar has been rising like a homesick angel ever since The Economist's Big Mac Index pronounced it too cheap in July, and it seems certain that this will be a disappointing quarter for many internationally leaning American firms.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "homesick" to describe a temporary feeling of longing for home, typically experienced when away for a limited time. For more profound or permanent feelings, consider alternatives like "exile" or "longing for one's homeland".

Common error

Don't self-diagnose if your feelings of "homesickness" persist and significantly impact your daily life. Prolonged and intense feelings could indicate a more serious condition like depression, requiring professional help. Distinguish between a passing sentiment and a persistent mental health issue.

Linguistic Context

The word "homesick" functions primarily as an adjective, describing the state or feeling of longing for one's home. Ludwig AI shows that it is often used to modify a person or subject experiencing this emotion, such as "I am homesick" or "He was homesick."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Encyclopedias

6%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "homesick" is a common and grammatically correct adjective used to describe the feeling of longing for one's home. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptance and usability in written English. While generally neutral in register, its usage spans from personal expressions to more formal contexts. To avoid misinterpretations, it's important to differentiate between temporary "homesickness" and more serious emotional states. Consider using alternative phrases like "longing for home" or "missing home" for variety or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

feeling homesick

This alternative emphasizes the emotional experience of being homesick.

homesick feeling

This alternative uses the term as a noun phrase rather than an adjective.

longing for home

This alternative is a more descriptive phrase that emphasizes the feeling of longing.

yearning for home

Similar to "longing for home", this phrase uses a different verb to convey a strong desire for home.

missing home

This is a simpler and more direct way of expressing the feeling of homesickness.

nostalgic for home

This phrase highlights the nostalgic aspect of homesickness, focusing on fond memories of home.

pining for home

This phrase uses a more poetic and intense verb to describe the longing for home.

aching for home

This alternative conveys a strong sense of emotional pain associated with being away from home.

desiring to return home

This alternative emphasizes the desire to physically go back home.

wishing to be home

This phrase expresses a simple wish to be in the familiar environment of home.

FAQs

How do you use "homesick" in a sentence?

You can use "homesick" to describe the feeling of missing home, as in "I felt "homesick" during my first year at college" or "The soldier was "homesick" after months of deployment".

What's the difference between "homesick" and "nostalgic"?

"Homesick" specifically refers to missing one's home, while "nostalgic" is a more general term for longing for the past. You can be nostalgic for a time period or a person, but "homesick" is exclusively about missing home.

What can I say instead of "I'm homesick"?

You can use alternatives like "I'm "longing for home"", "I'm "missing home"", or "I "yearn for home"" depending on the context.

Is "homesick" an adjective or a noun?

"Homesick" is primarily an adjective, describing the state of missing home. You can say "I am homesick". While less common, you can also use "homesickness" as a noun to refer to the feeling itself.