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.
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 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

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Cite this Entry

“Workhouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workhouse. Accessed 9 Jul. 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

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