husband
gb/hˈʌzbənd/ us/hˈʌzbənd/
A1
English
~ 900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
A married man
A man who has a wife or husband.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s husband
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'husband' with 'man' or 'boyfriend'. 'Husband' specifically means a married man.
Synonyms
spouse (Gender-neutral term for a married partner.)
|
partner (Informal, gender-neutral; often used for unmarried couples too.)
Antonyms
wife (The female equivalent of a husband in a marriage.)
Collocations
loving husband
|devoted husband
|ex-husband
|husband and wife
|become a husband
Themes
family
|relationships
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her husband works as a teacher.
- I met Sarah's husband at the party.
- They have been husband and wife for over 20 years.
- He is a devoted husband and father.
- My husband and I are going on vacation next week.
Learner examples
- My husband is at home.
- She loves her husband very much.
- Her husband is tall.
- I saw your husband in the shop.
- His husband is very kind.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
To use resources carefully
To use something carefully so it lasts longer.
Usage pattern:
to husband [resources/energy/time]
Common mistake:
Many learners are unfamiliar with this verb sense because it is rare in everyday speech and more common in formal writing.
Synonyms
conserve (More common in modern usage; implies saving and protecting resources.)
|
economize (Focuses on reducing expenses or waste.)
Antonyms
waste (To use carelessly or without thought for preservation.)
Collocations
husband resources
|husband energy
|husband strength
Themes
economy
|management
|finance
|business
|daily_life
Examples
- We must husband our remaining supplies until help arrives.
- She carefully husbanded her energy for the final climb.
- The company has learned to husband its resources during tough times.
Learner examples
- We must husband our food for the trip.
- He husbands his money carefully.
- You should husband your energy for later.
Grammar
Dictionary form
husband
IPA
GB/hˈʌzbənd/
US/hˈʌzbənd/
Syllables & stress
hus - band (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hus)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: husband
- Plural: husbands
Verb
- Base: husband
- 3rd Person Singular: husbands
- Present Participle: husbanding
- Past: husbanded
Word family
Expressions
ex-husband
1/ˈɛks hˈʌzbənd/
fixed phrase
A man who was once married to someone
A man who used to be married to someone but is not anymore.
Examples
- Her ex-husband still lives in the same town.
- I saw my ex-husband at the wedding.
husband material
1/hˈʌzbənd mətˈɪɹiəl/
fixed phrase
informal
Qualities suitable for marriage (male)
Qualities that make a man a good choice for marriage.
Examples
- He's kind, responsible, and definitely husband material.
- She says he's not exactly husband material.
husband and wife
1/hˈʌzbənd ˈænd wˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
A married man and woman
A man and woman who are married to each other.
Examples
- They stood together as husband and wife during the ceremony.
- The landlord is a husband and wife team.
- As husband and wife, they share many responsibilities.
- They became husband and wife in 1990.