hometown
gb/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn/ us/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn/
A2
English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
person's town or city of origin
The town or city where someone was born and grew up, or feels is their real home.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s hometown; in [someone]'s hometown
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"home city"* or *"birth town"* instead of "hometown". "Hometown" can be based on where you grew up or feel at home, not only the exact place of birth. Learners may also confuse "hometown" with "homeland"; "homeland" refers to a country, not a town or city.
Synonyms
birthplace (Focuses specifically on the place of birth, not necessarily where someone grew up or feels at home.)
Antonyms
foreign city (A city that is not your own and has no personal connection to your early life or home.)
Collocations
someone's hometown
|small hometown
|leave your hometown
|return to your hometown
|visit your hometown
|hometown friends
Themes
daily life
|identity
|travel
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He moved to the capital, but he still visits his hometown every summer.
- She went back to her hometown for the class reunion.
- In his hometown, everyone knows his family.
- Tourists rarely visit my hometown because it is very small.
- After ten years abroad, walking through her hometown felt strange and familiar at the same time.
Learner examples
- I want to show you my hometown.
- Her hometown is a quiet village.
- They left their hometown when they were children.
- He works in the city, but his hometown is by the sea.
- We went back to our hometown for the holidays.
adjective
B1
relation
2
coming from or linked to hometown
Describes a person or thing that is from or connected to someone's hometown.
Usage pattern:
hometown [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "hometown" can be used before a noun like an adjective (e.g., "hometown team"). They might say *"team of my hometown"* instead of the more natural "my hometown team".
Synonyms
local (More general; means from a nearby area, not specifically from someone's personal hometown.)
Antonyms
visiting (Describes a person or team that comes from another place, not the local or hometown area.)
Collocations
hometown team
|hometown hero
|hometown crowd
|hometown newspaper
|hometown fans
|hometown restaurant
Themes
daily life
|sports
|identity
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The hometown team won the championship in front of a packed stadium.
- She was treated like a hometown hero after winning the medal.
- The band played their first big show in front of a loud hometown crowd.
- The article was published in his hometown newspaper.
- Our hometown fans always give us extra energy.
Learner examples
- The hometown team played very well.
- He became a hometown hero after the game.
- The hometown crowd was very happy.
- We ate at my favorite hometown restaurant.
- She gave an interview to a hometown newspaper.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hometown
IPA
GB/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn/
US/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn/
Syllables & stress
ho - met - own (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ho)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: hometown
- Plural: hometowns
Word family
Expressions
hometown boy
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn bˈɔɪ/
fixed phrase
man or boy from local town
A man or boy who is from the town and is known there as someone local.
Examples
- The hometown boy signed a contract with a major league team.
- People were proud that a hometown boy became mayor.
- The movie features a hometown boy who returns after many years away.
hometown crowd
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn kɹˈaʊd/
fixed phrase
audience from the local town
The group of people watching an event who mostly live in the same town or city as the players or performers.
Examples
- The hometown crowd stood up and clapped at the final whistle.
- Playing in front of a hometown crowd gave the team confidence.
- The hometown crowd booed when the referee made the call.
hometown favorite
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn fˈeɪvɚɪt/
fixed phrase
locally preferred competitor
A person from the local town or city who most people there want to win a game, race, or contest.
Examples
- The hometown favorite finished second in the race.
- As the hometown favorite, she received the loudest cheers.
- The hometown favorite was under pressure to perform well.
hometown girl
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn ɡˈɚl/
fixed phrase
woman or girl from local town
A woman or girl who is from the town and is known there as someone local.
Examples
- The singer is a hometown girl who made it big in Hollywood.
- As a hometown girl, she knew almost everyone in the crowd.
- They were excited to see a hometown girl compete in the Olympics.
hometown hero
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn hˈɪɹoʊ/
fixed phrase
locally admired successful person
A person from a town who is very liked and respected there because they did something great or became very successful.
Examples
- After winning the championship, she returned as a hometown hero.
- The hometown hero signed autographs for children at the local school.
- He became a hometown hero when he started a free clinic in the city where he grew up.
hometown pride
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn pɹˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
pride in one's own town
A strong happy feeling about the town or city where you are from.
Examples
- The festival is a way for residents to show their hometown pride.
- Wearing the jersey is his way of expressing hometown pride.
- The cleanup project was driven by hometown pride.
hometown team
1/hˈoʊmtˌaʊn tˈim/
fixed phrase
sports team from one's town
The sports team that plays for the town or city where you live or grew up.
Examples
- Everyone in the bar was cheering for the hometown team.
- He always supports the hometown team, even when they lose.
- Tickets for the hometown team sold out in one hour.