chore
noun
a small or odd job; routine task.
chore
1
British
/ tʃɔː /
noun
-
a small routine task, esp a domestic one
-
an unpleasant task
-chore
2
British
combining form
Synonym Usage
See task.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of chore
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English char, Old English cyrr, variant of cierr, cerr. See char 3
Explanation
A chore is a duty or task you’re obligated to perform, often one that is unpleasant but necessary. Washing the dishes is a chore, and so is completing a homework assignment you aren’t excited about. Sometimes a thing that you wanted to do can become a chore if it ceases to be fun or interesting. Maybe Napoleon felt that conquering nations had become a chore by the time he was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo. The noun chore dates from the 18th century, when there were fewer appliances and more household tasks that needed to be done.
Vocabulary lists containing chore
A Single Shard
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Elijah of Buxton
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Sula
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“I did some outdoor sports for about an hour and then came home and spent several hours doing every chore that had been piling up all week.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
It can be a tedious but illuminating chore that will help you become more aware of where your money is going.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Not only can cooking in hot weather feel like a chore, but many of us find ourselves feeling less hungry altogether.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
A surge of interest from young people has made just gaining entry a chore.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
To them I’m a household chore, one among many.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
“Within the anime, there are daemons that help and assist the chores of daily life, and that to me I find quite attractive. Like folding the laundry.”
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
Buddhism-themed tourism is thriving and tens of thousands of locals and foreigners sign up every year for "temple stay" retreats where they eat simple monastic food, do chores and meditate.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Doing laundry, cleaning the tub, getting your upper lip waxed at a nearby salon — these are all chores that fall into this category.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Annie says she and her partner also are trying to get their house chores done before about 10am "so I can sit still and stay cool the rest of the day", she says.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
All the time Papa and I were doing the chores that morning, Rowdy stayed so close to me I could hardly walk.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
