poorhouse

noun

poor·​house ˈpu̇r-ˌhau̇s 

ˈpȯr-

: a place maintained at public expense to house needy or dependent persons

Examples of poorhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then again, with a market cap of about $405 billion, last week’s audience-deficiency shuffle isn’t about to send Netflix to the poorhouse. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 1 Apr. 2026

After they were rejected at the polls, Democrats funneled $20 billion to the same kind of con men and Democrat bundlers who are driving Massachusetts ratepayers to the poorhouse. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 21 Nov. 2025

Prior to the spread of Christianity, there were no public hospitals in the Roman world; no orphanages, poorhouses, or old persons’ homes; no government assistance to help those in need or private charities to minister to the poor, homeless, and hungry. — Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026

In 1902, as California thought to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the blessing of the navel orange, as 8,000 railroad cars of oranges were sent to market each year, Luther Tibbets was living in a Riverside poorhouse. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1579, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for poorhouse

• alehouse
• almshouse
• backhouse
• baghouse
• bakehouse
• bathhouse
• bauhaus
• blockhouse
• boathouse
• brewhouse
• bunkhouse
• clubhouse

Kids Definition

poorhouse

noun

poor·​house ˈpu̇(ə-)r-ˌhau̇s 

ˈpō(ə)r-

: a place maintained at public expense to house poor people