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Synonyms

in the doghouse

Cultural  

  1. Temporarily out of favor or in trouble: “Tyrone forgot his wife's anniversary, and now he's really in the doghouse.”

in the doghouse Idioms  

  1. In disfavor, in trouble, as in Jane knew that forgetting the check would put her in the doghouse. This expression alludes to relegating a dog that misbehaves to its outdoor kennel. [c. 1900]

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.

They had just started to emerge from the Magnificent Seven’s shadow in January after years in the doghouse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Tech is a big reason why small-caps have been in the doghouse for so long.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

This bold outburst – a clear embarrassment to Cheryl – lands Larry in the doghouse.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2024

Gingee is not in the doghouse, though, and she's even become a viral sensation with thousands of followers and millions of views on Instagram and TikTok.

From BBC • Sep. 8, 2023

The previous school year he had been ineligible for spring practice because of academic problems, which put him way down in the doghouse.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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.