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Synonyms

housework

American  
[hous-wurk] / ˈhaʊsˌwɜrk /

noun

  1. the work of cleaning, cooking, etc., to be done in housekeeping.

housework British  
/ ˈhaʊsˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. the work of running a home, such as cleaning, cooking, etc

"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 Word Forms

  • houseworker noun

Etymology

Origin of housework

First recorded in 1570–80; house + work

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.

That would require men to embrace feminist behaviors like treating women as equals and doing their fair share of housework.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

About half of caregivers regularly assisted a parent with errands, housework and home repairs.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

One possible source of domestic tension: Women often still handle more of the housework and child care, even when they are breadwinners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 27, 2025

A nationwide survey in 2023 found that a third of Korean adults have either no one to ask for help with housework or speak to when feeling sad.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2025

She would go into Lansing and find different jobs—in housework, or sewing—for white people.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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.