1
as in hotels
a place that provides rooms and usually a public dining room for overnight guests
took lodging at a public house that had recently been completely renovated
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in pubs
chiefly British
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises
visited a public house in London that has been welcoming customers since the time of Charles Dickens
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of public houses
This provoked what became known as the Aston Riot, with nearby public houses wrecked and violent brawls ensuing.
—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2026
The Lone Goat This English pub, which draws inspiration from public houses and taverns of London, is on the ground floor of the historic Metropolitan Building in downtown Detroit.
—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2026
The Lone Goat This English pub, which draws inspiration from public houses and taverns of London, is on the ground floor of the historic Metropolitan Building in downtown Detroit.
—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public houses
Noun
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Watch parties help drive business to bars, restaurants and hotels clustered around Station Square and Downtown.
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For those not traveling by campervan, Lofoten’s traditional rorbu cabins, small hotels, guesthouses and rental apartments offer a more comfortable and locally beneficial way to stay.
Noun
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By contrast, generations of pubs have catered to a broad swath of society, so many Melburnians enjoy eating out affordably as a matter of course.
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Wednesday afternoon, thousands of Scots will be in Broward, partying at pubs and riding on riverboats in Fort Lauderdale.
Noun
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Mother pleads for help finding son His mother asked community members to check hotels, hostels, capsule hotels, internet cafés, manga cafés, train stations, convenience stores, hiking areas, rivers, shrines and other places.
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As a result, many people living near Mavecure have gotten out of gold mining, which polluted the jungle rivers with mercury and sediment, to work as tour guides, operate restaurants and hostels, or sell arts and crafts.
Noun
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Leavenworth With its Bavarian-style architecture, mountain views, and taverns doling out steins of German beer and traditional dishes like käsespätzle, this small town in central Washington evokes an Alpine village.
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The child of alcoholics, Dreesen often referenced his rough-and-tumble upbringing in his comedy sets, telling tales of little Tommy shining shoes in the taverns of the South Side to feed his siblings.
Noun
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While here, visitors can still see its multiple saloons, general store, and boarding house, among other buildings.
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Beyond the cattle drives, the Stockyards are home to rodeos, Western saloons and live music venues.
Noun
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The bar at the Chequit, which had been one of the few local watering holes left on the island, closed during the off-season for the first time in memory.
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Bend’s compact and historic downtown packs in an impressive number of watering holes, restaurants, and boutiques.
Noun
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Restaurants and bars in the neighborhood are reporting drastic drops in business after thousands of Angelenos sheltered in place under a constant plume of smoke.
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Benjamin Song, who shot an Alvarado Police Department officer in the neck during the July 4 incident at Prairieland Detention Center outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was sentenced to a century behind bars, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY.
Noun
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Up until his first day of filming Jackass, Steve-O was a clown in nightclubs, cruise ships and at a flea-market circus.
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But downtown Sunnyvale really comes alive once the sun begins to set, with a vast array of bars, nightclubs and late-night dining peppered throughout the city’s streets.
Cite this Entry
“Public houses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public%20houses. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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