workhouse
noun
work·house
ˈwərk-ˌhau̇s 
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
Mary’s childhood has all of the workhouse tragedy of a Dickens novel, plus insufficient scenes of Susan Lynch as a stern, matronly figure from her youth.
—
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
First, the night-watchman state stigmatized the poor: they were deprived of the vote and consigned to workhouses in order to discourage idleness and provide incentives to work and save.
—John Micklethwait, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2014
With Vang’s 16 days of custody credit, Sheu noted, and the state’s rule where offenders serve two-thirds of a sentence in custody, Vang will be in the workhouse for about 7½ months.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025
One memory that British guitarist Steve Hackett has of making Genesis’ 1974 masterpiece, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, occurred when the band was working at Headley Grange, an 18th-century workhouse in Hampshire, England.
—David Chiu, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
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Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
First, the night-watchman state stigmatized the poor: they were deprived of the vote and consigned to workhouses in order to discourage idleness and provide incentives to work and save.
—John Micklethwait, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2014
With Vang’s 16 days of custody credit, Sheu noted, and the state’s rule where offenders serve two-thirds of a sentence in custody, Vang will be in the workhouse for about 7½ months.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025
One memory that British guitarist Steve Hackett has of making Genesis’ 1974 masterpiece, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, occurred when the band was working at Headley Grange, an 18th-century workhouse in Hampshire, England.
—David Chiu, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for workhouse
Cite this Entry
“Workhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workhouse. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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workhouse
noun
work·house
ˈwərk-ˌhau̇s
1
British
: poorhouse
2
: a place where persons who have committed minor wrongdoings are kept
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