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
Relevance
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
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 public houses
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
Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public houses
Noun
-
Anika Reed Nearby New York hotels, including The Carlyle, The Mark, The Pierre and The Lowell, are popular destinations for celebrities to get ready – and for fans to spot them – ahead of the red carpet.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
-
Travelers can bundle flights, hotels, car, rentals, excursions, and cruises at one time and save money while doing so.—
Paris Wilson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
While many pubs have an affiliation with a specific team, Thelwell says Robin Hood is for everyone.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
Aside from the official Fan Festival, there are plenty of pubs and bars planning their own Texas-sized World Cup celebrations, from sprawling newcomer Craft with its bocce court for halftime games to tried-and-tested favorites like The Londoner, Cannon's, and Harwood Arms.—
Jonathan Thompson,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
There are heaps of hotels, hostels, and homestays in Hạ Long for around $15 a night.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Look for places with reliable public transit, hostels and walkable city centers — that infrastructure makes navigating alone way easier.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Keep in mind that despite the significance of the date of July 4, 1776, royalists and republicans had been arguing in print, pamphlets, taverns and on town greens long before 1776.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As the vessel toured Baja California, Diana Sanders of Vacaville sampled tequila shots — 14 or 15 in total — from six ship taverns, tequileras and pubs, according to court documents.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond the cattle drives, the Stockyards are home to rodeos, Western saloons and live music venues.—
Taylor Haught,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Soon after, the area became a hub with saloons, butchers, bakeries and department stores.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nowadays, old-school residents bemoan the neighborhood’s evolution from grungy to grandiose; what was once a warren of hedonism has become a breeding ground for characterless watering holes whose lack of personality is bested only by the exorbitance of their beer prices.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
These are not your ordinary watering holes.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That’s how the system is supposed to work, and our agencies will keep at it as long as there are fraudsters around to put behind bars.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The coastal Georgia man arrested in 2018 and accused of torturing, killing and burying his two teenage children in the backyard of the family’s mobile home will spend the rest of his life behind bars after reaching a plea deal.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These clubs became sort of nightclubs.—
Matt Thompson,
SPIN,
4 May 2026
-
After the shove, the video shows Niemi and his group walk briskly down the stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard that is home to a number of nightclubs and bars.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Public houses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public%20houses. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
