household
Americannoun
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households
plural
adjective
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of or relating to a household.
household furniture.
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for use in maintaining a home, especially for use in cooking, cleaning, laundering, repairing, etc., in the home.
a household bleach.
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common or usual; ordinary.
noun
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the people living together in one house collectively
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(modifier) of, relating to, or used in the running of a household; domestic
household management
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of household
First recorded in 1350–1400, household is from the Middle English word houshold. See house, hold 1
Explanation
How many people does your house hold? That’s your household! A household refers to a family or group of people living together. It’s a social unit under one roof. All the people living in your house, including servants, make up your household. Don’t have any servants? Well, your roommates count as part of your household, too. In the middle of the night, your household might be asleep. Your household income could determine whether or not you get the pool in the backyard. Household can also be an adjective to describe — you guessed it — things that are in your house, like household appliances or household furniture.
Vocabulary lists containing household
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:
My thoughts were elsewhere as I zoomed past the spot on my household mission, but a voice from the past nudged me to reconsider.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Flag football entered the picture at 5, and from then on, sports were ever-present in the Wafle household, with all three boys playing something year-round.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
There are two membership tiers, £5 per week for 6 items or £7.50 per week for 10 items, which includes access to chilled and cupboard food, toiletries, and household items.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Griffin might also take heart at the news that after Barr spent so many years in a state of ignominy, “Roseanne,” the show that made her a household name, is being revived.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2017
Their home destroyed, the Baudelaires had to recuperate from their terrible loss in the Poe household, which was not at all agreeable.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
India imports more than 60% of its LPG, the main cooking fuel for more than 330 million households.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
While immigration is a notable issue for Latino voters, the cost of living — and the failure of both parties to improve it — is the most important topic in most households, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
After more than five years above target, inflation could become entrenched as businesses and households come to expect it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
A study by economists at Tufts University on the effect that homeownership has on the wealth trajectory of low-income households illustrates the importance of timing.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Consider the most common female names found in middle-income white households versus low-income white households.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
