house·hold
ˈhau̇s-ˌhōld 
ˈhau̇-ˌsōld
: those who dwell under the same roof and compose a family
also
: a social unit composed of those living together in the same dwelling
Examples of household in a Sentence
Noun
At that time, not many households had telephones.
the dish became a household word because of the sudden popularity of the cuisine
Adjective
they spent the weekend at home, attending to household chores
“ozone” is now a household word, thanks to global warming
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2025
In South Carolina paper, The Post and Courier, the editorial team warned that allowing utilities to pass costs for industrial incentives onto households would leave customers footing the bill for infrastructure that primarily benefits corporations.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Kara Nelson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
Hancock said in the statement that his family canceled their traditional multi-household Thanksgiving celebration.
—NBC News, 25 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for household
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Noun
Governments will face pressure to modernize policy, businesses will launch products and services for one-person households, and financial professionals will adapt to better serve solo earners.
—Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2025
In South Carolina paper, The Post and Courier, the editorial team warned that allowing utilities to pass costs for industrial incentives onto households would leave customers footing the bill for infrastructure that primarily benefits corporations.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Sources of 2023 household debt in the US include:
Credit Cards: $1.13 trillion
Mortgage: $12.25 trillion
Auto Loans: 1.61 trillion
Student Loans: $1.6 trillion
Outstanding balances also include debt from retail credit cards, consumer loans and other non-household expenses.
—Kara Nelson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
Hancock said in the statement that his family canceled their traditional multi-household Thanksgiving celebration.
—NBC News, 25 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for household
Cite this Entry
“Household.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/household. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
household
1 of 2 noun
house·hold
ˈhau̇s-ˌhōld
ˈhau̇-ˌsōld
: those who live as a family in one house
also
: a social unit made up of those living together in the same house
household
2 of 2 adjective1
: of or relating to a household : domestic
2
: familiar entry 2 sense 3a, common
a household word
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