He worked at a workhouse.
Source: tatoeba (12941991)
Workhouse
Synonyms for "workhouse" (48 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (10)
Strong matches (14)
concerncorporationdeskestablishmentfacilityfirmfoster homehalfway househomehospicehospitiumhouseinstallation
Noun(1 words)
house of correction
Related words (24)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: agency, almshouse, asylum, atelier, barbershop.
- Sentence evidence is available for workhouse, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "workhouse".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "workhouse"
Keep "workhouse" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "workhouse" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "workhouse", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "workhouse" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
12 entriesMore specific
4 entriescounty workhousedetention centerjuvenile detention centerparish workhouse
Collocations
6 entriesdetention centerhouse of correctionparish workhouseworkhouse conditionsworkhouse reformworkhouse system
Inflections
1 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
Among other public buildings in a certain town which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, it boasts of one which is common to most towns, great or small, to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born, […] the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.
Source: wiktionary
"I don't want to spoil any comparison you are going to make," said Jim, "but I was at Winchester and New College." / "That will do," said Mackenzie. "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve.[…]"
Source: wiktionary
The New Poor Law of 1834, a statute of quite uncommon callousness, gave [to the labourer] poor relief only within the new workhouses (where he had to seperate from wife and child to discourage the sentimental and unmalthusian habit of thoughtless procreation) and withdrawing the parish guarantee of a minimum livelihood.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "workhouse"?
Closest matches include agency, almshouse, asylum, atelier, barbershop.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "workhouse"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.