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boarding house

American  
[bawr-ding haus, bohr-ding haus] / ˈbɔr dɪŋ ˌhaʊs, ˈboʊr dɪŋ ˌhaʊs /

noun

boarding houses plural
  1. a house in which a person can rent a room, generally with meals provided.


boarding house British  

noun

  1. a private house in which accommodation and meals are provided for paying guests

  2. a house for boarders at a school See also house

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The great playwright’s drama about a Pittsburgh boarding house comes to Broadway in an uneven production starring Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Loomis has a turbulent presence that casts an anxious pall over the boarding house, re-created with a background view of Pittsburgh’s bridges by scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2025

Jasmine stays at a Florida boarding house run by Lillian, who calls her new tenant Jazzy and helps her with bus fare to New York City.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Gladys' mother, Catherine Kearney, was a servant working at a boarding house in Drogheda in Ireland when she became pregnant.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2024

Cohen took the bus back to her boarding house.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin

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