homesickness

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "homesickness" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe a feeling of longing for home or being away from home. Example sentence: The college freshman could no longer hide the tears that had formed from the homesickness she felt after leaving home for the first time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The reasons they cite are various: stress, homesickness, even "going cuckoo".

The Guardian - Sport

It is about homesickness.

The Economist

Somewhere at the back of it all lurks homesickness, which metastasises over time into its incurable variant, nostalgia.

The Economist

In each place, his subject seethes with claustrophobia and homesickness for the Lone Star state.

The Economist

But checking the headlines from home I felt a keen pang of homesickness when reading a series of news reports discussing the slow demise of the British zebra crossing.

The Economist

Various political analysts in Islamabad conclude that a kind of homesickness, the desire to be back where he mattered, drew him home to Pakistan.

The Economist

The accordion, for so long associated with Paris's riverside guinguettes, gives a quaint touch to songs which blend homesickness and a tribute to French popular music.In April, a pro-Algeria concert in Paris brought together among others Khaled, Idir and Intik, a fashionable group of young rappers.

The Economist

One participant from Malaysia shared that this is where he comes to treat his own pangs of homesickness.

The Economist

They were about love, emigration, homesickness, looking for work, waiting for rain, missing people.

The Economist

At least on the micro-level, it is easy to think of cross-religious friendships, based on common homesickness, which could never flourish back home.

The Economist

A comfortable middle-class upbringing south of Paris was presented as something close to child abuse; yet her first sculpture show, in New York in 1949 after she had married and left, was of tall, sad balsa-wood figures that represented "homesickness".

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about "homesickness", be specific about the aspects of home that are missed, such as family, food, or familiar surroundings. This adds depth and authenticity to the writing.

Common error

Avoid using "homesickness" as a catch-all term for any form of sadness or distress. Ensure the context clearly relates to missing one's home or familiar environment. For generalized feelings of sadness or loss, use more appropriate terms.

Linguistic Context

The noun "homesickness" functions as a descriptor of a state or feeling. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes the feeling of longing for one's home. Examples include "stress, "homesickness", even 'going cuckoo'" and "seethes with claustrophobia and "homesickness" for the Lone Star state".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Encyclopedias

22%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "homesickness" is a commonly used noun describing the feeling of longing for one's home. As Ludwig AI states, it's a correct and usable word in written English. Its usage spans across various contexts, primarily in News & Media and Encyclopedias, with a neutral register. The examples highlight its role in expressing emotional states related to being away from familiar environments. While grammatically straightforward, it's essential to use "homesickness" accurately, ensuring it specifically relates to missing home rather than general sadness. Understanding its nuances helps enhance clarity and emotional depth in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

homesick

An adjective describing the state of experiencing "homesickness".

longing for home

Focuses on the desire to return to one's home.

a strong desire to return home

Expresses the intensity of wanting to go back to one's home.

nostalgia for one's roots

Emphasizes a sentimental yearning for one's origins and background.

yearning for familiar surroundings

Highlights the desire for the comfort and security of known environments.

missing one's native land

Specifically refers to the absence of one's country of origin.

pining for the old country

An emotive and somewhat old-fashioned expression of longing for home.

longing to be back

A general phrase indicating a wish to return to a previous location or situation.

yearning for the past

Connects the feeling to a broader sense of longing for earlier times.

feeling of displacement

Highlights the sense of being uprooted and disconnected from one's home.

FAQs

How do you use "homesickness" in a sentence?

You can use "homesickness" to describe a feeling of longing for home. For example: "The student felt a wave of "homesickness" after their first week away at college."

What's another word for "homesickness"?

Synonyms for "homesickness" include "longing for home", "nostalgia", and "yearning for familiar surroundings".

What causes "homesickness"?

"Homesickness" is typically caused by being away from familiar people, places, and routines. It can be triggered by significant changes in environment, lack of social support, or feelings of isolation.

How can you cope with "homesickness"?

Coping strategies for "homesickness" include staying connected with family and friends from home, establishing new routines in the new environment, exploring the new surroundings, and seeking support from others who have experienced similar feelings.