household
gb/hˈaʊshˌoʊld/ us/hˈaʊshˌoʊld/
A2
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
People living together in a home
The people who live together in one house or apartment.
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] household
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'household' with 'house', but 'household' means the people, not the building.
Synonyms
family (Often refers to related people, whereas 'household' can include unrelated individuals sharing a home.)
|
home unit (More technical or administrative term for the same concept.)
Antonyms
individual (Refers to one person, not a group living together.)
Collocations
single-person household
|low-income household
|average household size
|household survey
|household income
Themes
daily life
|family
|society
|daily_life
|housing
|relationships
Examples
- The average household in this city has three members.
- More households are choosing to rent rather than buy homes.
- The survey collected data from 2,000 households across the country.
- Our household includes my grandparents as well as my parents and siblings.
Learner examples
- My household has four people.
- There are two children in our household.
- Every household must pay for water.
- This is a small household.
Noun
B1
action
2
Management of home affairs
The work and money needed to keep a home going.
Usage pattern:
[manage/run] a household
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'household' only means people, but it can also mean the management of the home.
Synonyms
home management (Focuses specifically on the organizational aspect of running a home.)
Antonyms
neglect (Failure to take care of the home or its affairs.)
Collocations
household chores
|household budget
|household expenses
|household duties
Themes
daily life
|family
|daily_life
|housing
|work
Examples
- She is responsible for managing the household while her partner works.
- Household expenses have increased this year due to higher energy prices.
- Good household management can save you time and money.
Learner examples
- I help with household chores.
- We have a small household budget.
- He runs the household alone.
adjective
A2
property
3
Used in or related to the home
Used in a house or for home life.
Usage pattern:
household [item/product/name]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'household' with 'house', forgetting that 'household' as an adjective means 'for use at home'.
Synonyms
domestic ('Domestic' can also refer to things within a country, not just the home.)
Antonyms
industrial (Used for work or production, not for the home.)
Collocations
household goods
|household appliances
|household name
|household products
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Vacuum cleaners are common household appliances.
- Milk is a basic household item in many countries.
- She became a household name after starring in the hit TV series.
Learner examples
- We have many household items in the kitchen.
- This is a useful household tool.
- A fridge is an important household appliance.
Grammar
Dictionary form
household
IPA
GB/hˈaʊshˌoʊld/
US/hˈaʊshˌoʊld/
Syllables & stress
house - hold (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (house)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: household
- Plural: household, households
Word family
Expressions
head of household
1/hˈɛd əv hˈaʊshˌoʊld/
fixed phrase
Main person managing a home
The main person who is responsible for and supports a home and its people.
Examples
- She is listed as the head of household on her tax return.
- In many families, both parents share the role of head of household.
household name
1/hˈaʊshˌoʊld nˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
Person or brand widely known
A person or brand that many people know about.
Examples
- By the 1990s, the singer had become a household name.
- Thanks to its commercials, the cereal brand is now a household name.
household chores
1/hˈaʊshˌoʊld t͡ʃˈɔɹz/
fixed phrase
Routine tasks in a home
The regular jobs that need to be done to keep a house clean and working well.
Examples
- He spends Saturday mornings doing household chores.
- They divide the household chores so that no one feels overworked.
- Household chores like washing dishes and vacuuming can take up a lot of time.
- Household chores can take a lot of time for working parents.
- Doing household chores together can teach children responsibility.