<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii" standalone="yes"?>
<!--Created by Genesis Filings LLC, Powered by IRIS Carbon, Unique Code 69cd774c3b0e361450da9617, Generated At Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:51:47 GMT-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xl="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/XLink" xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xbrli="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member" />
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all" />
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension" />
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain" />
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default" />
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.khov.com/role/statement-document-and-entity-information" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="hov-20260331.xsd#statement-document-and-entity-information" />
  <link:definitionLink xlink:type="extended" xlink:role="http://www.khov.com/role/statement-document-and-entity-information">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:label="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:title="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:label="dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:title="dei_EntityRegistrantName" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="0" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentType" xlink:label="dei_DocumentType" xlink:title="dei_DocumentType" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_DocumentType" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_DocumentType" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="1" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate" xlink:label="dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate" xlink:title="dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="2" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode" xlink:label="dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode" xlink:title="dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="3" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber" xlink:label="dei_EntityFileNumber" xlink:title="dei_EntityFileNumber" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityFileNumber" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityFileNumber" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="4" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber" xlink:label="dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber" xlink:title="dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="5" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1" xlink:label="dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1" xlink:title="dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="6" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown" xlink:label="dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown" xlink:title="dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="7" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince" xlink:label="dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince" xlink:title="dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="8" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode" xlink:label="dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode" xlink:title="dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="9" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode" xlink:label="dei_CityAreaCode" xlink:title="dei_CityAreaCode" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_CityAreaCode" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_CityAreaCode" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="10" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber" xlink:label="dei_LocalPhoneNumber" xlink:title="dei_LocalPhoneNumber" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_LocalPhoneNumber" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_LocalPhoneNumber" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="11" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications" xlink:label="dei_WrittenCommunications" xlink:title="dei_WrittenCommunications" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_WrittenCommunications" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_WrittenCommunications" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="12" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial" xlink:label="dei_SolicitingMaterial" xlink:title="dei_SolicitingMaterial" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_SolicitingMaterial" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_SolicitingMaterial" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="13" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer" xlink:label="dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer" xlink:title="dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="14" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" xlink:label="dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" xlink:title="dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="15" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle" xlink:label="dei_Security12bTitle" xlink:title="dei_Security12bTitle" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_Security12bTitle" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_Security12bTitle" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="16" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol" xlink:label="dei_TradingSymbol" xlink:title="dei_TradingSymbol" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_TradingSymbol" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_TradingSymbol" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="17" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_NoTradingSymbolFlag" xlink:label="dei_NoTradingSymbolFlag" xlink:title="dei_NoTradingSymbolFlag" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_NoTradingSymbolFlag" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_NoTradingSymbolFlag" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="18" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName" xlink:label="dei_SecurityExchangeName" xlink:title="dei_SecurityExchangeName" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_SecurityExchangeName" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_SecurityExchangeName" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="19" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany" xlink:label="dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany" xlink:title="dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="20" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:label="dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:title="dei_AmendmentFlag" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="21" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:label="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:title="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="22" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationTable" xlink:label="dei_DocumentInformationTable" xlink:title="dei_DocumentInformationTable" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_DocumentInformationTable" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationLineItems to dei_DocumentInformationTable" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="23" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_LegalEntityAxis" xlink:label="dei_LegalEntityAxis" xlink:title="dei_LegalEntityAxis" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationTable" xlink:to="dei_LegalEntityAxis" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationTable to dei_LegalEntityAxis" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="0" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityDomain" xlink:label="dei_EntityDomain" xlink:title="dei_EntityDomain" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="dei_LegalEntityAxis" xlink:to="dei_EntityDomain" xlink:title="Definition : dei_LegalEntityAxis to dei_EntityDomain" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="0" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityDomain" xlink:label="dei_EntityDomain_1" xlink:title="dei_EntityDomain" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="dei_LegalEntityAxis" xlink:to="dei_EntityDomain_1" xlink:title="Definition : dei_LegalEntityAxis to dei_EntityDomain" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="1" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" xlink:label="us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" xlink:title="us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationTable" xlink:to="us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" xlink:title="Definition : dei_DocumentInformationTable to us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="1" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:label="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:title="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" xlink:to="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:title="Definition : us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis to us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="0" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="hov-20260331.xsd#hov_ClassACommonStock001ParValuePerShareCustomMember" xlink:label="hov_ClassACommonStock001ParValuePerShareCustomMember" xlink:title="hov_ClassACommonStock001ParValuePerShareCustomMember" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:to="hov_ClassACommonStock001ParValuePerShareCustomMember" xlink:title="Definition : us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain to hov_ClassACommonStock001ParValuePerShareCustomMember" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="0" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="hov-20260331.xsd#hov_PreferredStockPurchaseRights1CustomMember" xlink:label="hov_PreferredStockPurchaseRights1CustomMember" xlink:title="hov_PreferredStockPurchaseRights1CustomMember" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:to="hov_PreferredStockPurchaseRights1CustomMember" xlink:title="Definition : us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain to hov_PreferredStockPurchaseRights1CustomMember" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="1" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="hov-20260331.xsd#hov_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting11000thOfAShareOf7625SeriesAPreferredStockCustomMember" xlink:label="hov_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting11000thOfAShareOf7625SeriesAPreferredStockCustomMember" xlink:title="hov_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting11000thOfAShareOf7625SeriesAPreferredStockCustomMember" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:to="hov_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting11000thOfAShareOf7625SeriesAPreferredStockCustomMember" xlink:title="Definition : us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain to hov_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting11000thOfAShareOf7625SeriesAPreferredStockCustomMember" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="2" xbrldt:closed="false" />
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:label="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_1" xlink:title="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" />
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis" xlink:to="us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_1" xlink:title="Definition : us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis to us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain" xlink:type="arc" use="optional" order="1" xbrldt:closed="false" />
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
