door-to-door

[ dawr-tuh-dawr, dohr-tuh-dohr ]

/ ˈdɔr təˈdɔr, ˈdoʊr təˈdoʊr /

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See synonyms for door-to-door on Thesaurus.com

adjective

calling, selling, canvassing, etc., at each house or apartment in an area, town, or the like: a door-to-door poll.

sent direct from the point of pickup to the point of delivery, as a shipment or order of merchandise.

covering the complete route of a door-to-door shipment, delivery, etc.: door-to-door carrying charges; door-to-door insurance.

adverb

in a door-to-door manner.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of door-to-door

First recorded in 1900–05

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use door-to-door in a sentence

The Liberian AIDS commission is now going door-to-door to administer antiretroviral medications to known patients.
What’s Worse Than Ebola in West Africa? Almost Everything|Barbie Latza Nadeau|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The next green IPO will be from Vivint, a Utah-based company that sells solar panels door-to-door.
Capitalism Is Saving the Climate, You Hippies|Daniel Gross|September 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That makes voter registration and door-to-door campaigning more important than ever.
Scots Must Choose Heart or Head|Nico Hines|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her father lost his job at an opera company because he was Jewish, and had to find work as a door-to-door salesman.
Nazis’ ‘Perfect Aryan’ Child Was Jewish|The Telegraph|July 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In the distance, hugging a T-wall, two Humvees idled door-to-door with their headlights on.
How the Dead Come Home From Afghanistan|Nick Willard|May 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They manufacture simple compositions like polishing waxes and sell them from door-to-door.
Junior Achievement|William Lee
Just before the battle of Cerro Gordo there was a door-to-door canvass at Mexico; but only small sums can have been picked up.
The War With Mexico, Volume II (of 2)|Justin H. Smith
Gracious, you wouldn't have to sell from door-to-door, would you?
Junior Achievement|William Lee

British Dictionary definitions for door-to-door

door to door

adjective, adverb (door-to-door when prenominal)

(of selling, canvassing, etc) from one house to the next

(of journeys, deliveries, etc) direct

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with door-to-door

door to door

Calling at each house, apartment, store, etc. in an area, in order to deliver, sell, or ask for something. For example, We were asked to go door to door to collect enough signatures. [c. 1900]

Sent from a place of origin or pickup to a place of delivery. For example, They quoted me a price for door to door, as well as a lower one if I would pick up the goods myself. This usage is nearly always applied to a shipment of merchandise.