disorderly house

noun

Definition of disorderly housenext
as in brothel
a building in which prostitutes are available the penalty for anyone convicted of running a disorderly house in the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of disorderly house Johnson was charged in July in Baltimore County with maintaining a disorderly house for his part in holding the pool parties and an arrest warrant was issued. — CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disorderly house
  1. brothel
  2. bawdy house
Noun
  • The idea was associated with visionary eighteenth-century architects like Claude-Nicolas Ledoux and Étienne-Louis Boullée—perhaps the most famous example is Ledoux’s Oikema, a proposal for a brothel shaped like a massive phallus.
    — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The lore says the building operated as a brothel in its early years, with a tavern then as now on the ground floor.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of brothel
Noun
  • She was convicted of prostitution and keeping a bawdy house, according to the DHS.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • All of the women working in the bawdy houses are modest and never look lascivious because, Lord knows, that would be horrific.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of bawdy house

Browse Nearby Words

disorderly
disorderly house
disorderly houses
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Cite this Entry

“Disorderly house.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disorderly%20house. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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