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

Mayor Sam Cunningham, who was talking to members of the public during the open house, said enhancing the beach is another project in line with his goal of rebuilding Waukegan. —Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025

Community members will have a chance to learn more about the construction timeline and see detailed plans and renderings of the interior of the new hospital during an open house from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Oak-Land Middle School in Lake Elmo. —Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025

Coming on July 30 is a two-hour open house where people can provide feedback in-person. —Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 29 July 2025

At the open house, whoever is interested in fermentation can see, smell and taste what fermentation is about. —Akiko Katayama, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

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