Standard Lemma guide

doghouse

noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D AO1 G HH AW2 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any small house or structure or enclosure used to house a dog.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A structure of small size, similar to a doghouse, but offering useful shelter for a human.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • p. 1927, United States Code Annotated [...] so as to render railroad liable for death of brakeman falling from tender, notwithstanding construction of doghouse on top of tender for brakeman's use.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Mechanically, an equipment cover with an opening, with a shape resembling a doghouse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A difficult or demoralizing situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A traffic signal with five sections: two on the bottom, two in the middle, and one on top.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Any shabby or disreputable establishment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The condition of being in the doghouse (subject to someone's anger or disapproval).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He's out of the doghouse now that he's bought his wife some flowers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kennel, dog house

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: outbuilding, shelter

9

noun

Meaning 9

an idiomatic term for being in disfavor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • in the doghouse

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disfavor, disfavour, dislike, disapproval

History

Etymology

Compound of dog + house.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: koppi — small shelter for humans
  • Russian: хиба́рка (xibárka) — small shelter for humans
  • Russian: лачу́га (lačúga) — small shelter for humans
  • Russian: хи́жина (xížina) — small shelter for humans
  • Finnish: koppa — cover