workhouse

noun

work·​house ˈwərk-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce workhouse (audio)
1
British : poorhouse
2
: a house of correction for persons guilty of minor law violations

Examples of workhouse in a Sentence

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.
In another excavation area on the grounds, seven sets of historic skeletal remains consistent with the workhouse era have now been recovered in total, the agency said. Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025 So a magistrate dismissed the charges but sentenced both Black men to 90 days in the workhouse for vagrancy. Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025 In the workhouse yard, excavation was conducted by machine; in the latter, by hand. Jade Wilson, The Dial, 21 Oct. 2025 In his two cases involving Lucia, Kelly was sentenced to five years of probation and nine months in the county workhouse in December 2015 after pleading guilty to stalking and terroristic threats. Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for workhouse

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of workhouse was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Workhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workhouse. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

workhouse

noun
work·​house ˈwərk-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce workhouse (audio)
1
British : poorhouse
2
: a place where persons who have committed minor wrongdoings are kept

Legal Definition

workhouse

noun
work·​house
: a correctional facility for persons guilty of minor criminal violations

More from Merriam-Webster on workhouse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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