Guests: meaning, definitions and examples

Typically used for people who have been invited to a social or formal event.

• We are expecting about 50 guests at the wedding.
• Our guests enjoyed the dinner party.

Used for people who are present at an event or gathering, usually more formal, like meetings, conferences, or lectures.

• The conference had over 300 attendees.
• Attendees must register upon arrival.

General term used for people who are visiting a place, such as a tourist spot, museum, or someone's home.

• The museum welcomed over a thousand visitors last weekend.
• Our visitors should arrive by noon.

Refers to people who have been invited to attend an event, often formal, and emphasizes the act of invitation.

• The invitees arrived promptly at the gala.
• Only special invitees were allowed entry.

Use 'guests' when referring to people invited to visit a place temporarily or for an event, like a party or a hotel stay.

• We are expecting several guests for dinner tonight.
• The hotel offers complimentary breakfast for all its guests.

Use 'lodgers' when referring to people who rent a room in someone else's house, often for an extended period of time.

• We have two lodgers staying with us until the end of the year.
• The landlord provides meals for all the lodgers.

Use 'residents' when referring to people who live in a particular place, usually for a long term. Often used for apartment buildings, cities, or countries.

• The residents of the apartment complex usually meet in the common area on weekends.
• The city has over a million residents.