✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

housework

noun

house·​work ˈhau̇s-ˌwərk How to pronounce housework (audio)
: the work of housekeeping

Examples of housework in a Sentence

I got up early and did some housework.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All of them were foreign domestic helpers employed by Hong Kong residents to assist with housework and caregiving. Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 27 Nov. 2025 The Oura Ring detects housework and yardwork more effectively than my smartwatch, giving me a better, more complete measure of my daily movement. Outside, 22 Nov. 2025 The shifts in work schedules can also boost housework equity, with a four-day workweek trial conducted across six countries by 4 Day Week Global finding men spent 22% more time on childcare and 23% more time on housework. Preston Fore, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025 Mickey did most of the housework when Terry worked long hours as a truck scheduler in the oil industry. Sydney Franklin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for housework

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of housework was in 1613

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Housework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housework. Accessed 9 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

housework

noun
house·​work ˈhau̇-ˌswərk How to pronounce housework (audio)
: the work of housekeeping

More from Merriam-Webster on housework

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!