house·hold
ˈhau̇s-ˌhōld 
ˈhau̇-ˌsōld
: those who dwell under the same roof and compose a family
also
: a social unit composed of those living together in the same dwelling
Examples of household in a Sentence
Noun
At that time, not many households had telephones.
the dish became a household word because of the sudden popularity of the cuisine
Adjective
they spent the weekend at home, attending to household chores
“ozone” is now a household word, thanks to global warming
Recent Examples on the Web
Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 Nov. 2025
The family had only one inside servant, Mai Viro, an ancient crone with a bead of sweat perpetually on her upper lip, who washed and carried and ruled the household from the kitchen and might in her sleep have pedalled a generator to provide electricity, if that had been required.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
Sources of 2023 household debt in the US include:
Credit Cards: $1.13 trillion
Mortgage: $12.25 trillion
Auto Loans: 1.61 trillion
Student Loans: $1.6 trillion
Outstanding balances also include debt from retail credit cards, consumer loans and other non-household expenses.
—Kara Nelson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for household
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Noun
Funds will support households identified by the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, OurBRIDGE for Kids, Latin American Coalition, Carolina Migrant Network and other nonprofits.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 Nov. 2025
The family had only one inside servant, Mai Viro, an ancient crone with a bead of sweat perpetually on her upper lip, who washed and carried and ruled the household from the kitchen and might in her sleep have pedalled a generator to provide electricity, if that had been required.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Starting October 1st, the brand is ending its Prime Invitee Program, which previously allowed non-household members to enjoy benefits like free shipping.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
Sources of 2023 household debt in the US include:
Credit Cards: $1.13 trillion
Mortgage: $12.25 trillion
Auto Loans: 1.61 trillion
Student Loans: $1.6 trillion
Outstanding balances also include debt from retail credit cards, consumer loans and other non-household expenses.
—Kara Nelson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for household
Cite this Entry
“Household.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/household. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
household
1 of 2 noun
house·hold
ˈhau̇s-ˌhōld
ˈhau̇-ˌsōld
: those who live as a family in one house
also
: a social unit made up of those living together in the same house
household
2 of 2 adjective1
: of or relating to a household : domestic
2
: familiar entry 2 sense 3a, common
a household word
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