open house

noun

1

: ready and usually informal hospitality or entertainment for all comers

2

: a house or apartment open for inspection especially by prospective buyers or tenants

Examples of open house in a Sentence

Westside High School will host an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. today, and all parents are invited to attend.

colleges holding open houses for prospective students

We held an open house last week in the hopes that someone would offer to buy our house.

They kept open house, and in the evenings neighbors would stop by to talk or play music.

They always kept an open house for visitors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Other counties hold open houses and information sessions that let voters know that most states implement checks and balances that are quite similar – which helps dispel distrust about what’s happening in other parts of the country. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026

The county held an open house Tuesday at Flossmoor Village Hall to introduce the project to residents and gather feedback. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

The community open house is one part of the final selection process. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026

The Michigan Department of Transportation will host an open house on Monday in Monroe to provide details on the rebuilding of 2 ½ miles of Interstate 75, including the replacement of the River Raisin Bridge in Monroe County. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for open house

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

Kids Definition

open house

noun

: usually informal hospitality or entertainment for all comers