clearinghouse

noun

clear·​ing·​house ˈklir-iŋ-ˌhau̇s 

1

: an establishment maintained by banks for settling mutual claims and accounts

2

: a central agency for the collection, classification, and distribution especially of information

broadly : an informal channel for distributing information or assistance

Examples of clearinghouse in a Sentence

an online clearinghouse for information on museums around the world

Recent Examples on the Web

Many colleges and universities have informal parent Facebook groups, which function as a clearinghouse for questions and provide a window into the psyche of modern moms and dads. —Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025

The healthcare cost increases are real and published on the government’s main clearinghouse for Obamacare plans. —Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Oct. 2025

Since April, more removal orders have been issued there each month than in any month since 2010, according to a federal records clearinghouse based at Syracuse University. —Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025

At Giordano’s mental health clinics, her practitioners and administrative staff members were unable to validate clients’ insurance information because the online clearinghouse for that information wasn’t working. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clearinghouse

• boardinghouse
• charterhouse
• coffeehouse
• customhouse
• firehouse
• meetinghouse
• motherhouse
• packinghouse
• pilothouse
• powerhouse
• slaughterhouse
• summerhouse

Kids Definition

clearinghouse

noun

clear·​ing·​house -ˌhau̇s 

1

: an institution run by banks for the exchanging of checks and claims

2

: a central agency for collecting and giving out information

Legal Definition

clearinghouse

noun

clear·​ing·​house ˈklir-iŋ-ˌhau̇s 

: an institution that arranges for payment of checks owed by one bank to another