household

1 of 2

noun

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

household

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to a household : domestic

cooking and other household arts

2

: familiar, common

a household name

Synonyms of household

Noun

• house
• home

Adjective

• familial

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

Noun

Part of this growing divide between the rich and the average worker can also be traced back to where these households derive their wealth—namely from their exposure to the booming stock market of 2025. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025

The average household income in Kilmarnock is a little over $31,000 with about 30% of the population living below the poverty line, according to Census data from 2023. —Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 9 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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1761, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing household

• head of the household
• household name
• household troops

Rhymes for household

• copyhold
• decontrolled
• hundredfold
• manifold
• marigold
• oversold
• petioled
• sevenfold
• stranglehold
• subthreshold
• thousandfold
• uncontrolled

Kids 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 adjective

1

: of or relating to a household : domestic

2

: familiar entry 2 sense 3a, common

a household word