halfway house

noun

1
a
: a place to stop midway on a journey
b
: a halfway place in a progression
2
: a residence for individuals after release from institutionalization (as for mental illness, drug addiction, or criminal activity) that is designed to facilitate their readjustment to private life

Examples of halfway house in a Sentence

The car is the perfect halfway house between a family caravan and luxury sedan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That may also ripple down to prisoners who rely on staff to get them to the halfway house. Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 Eichorn, 40, appeared in federal court on Wednesday and U.S. Magistrate Judge Shannon Elkins ordered him released when a halfway house bed is available, according to court records. Mike Snider, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025 According to state police, the warrant was issued after Tate allegedly left a halfway house in New Haven where he was mandated to stay by court order. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2025 At Eichorn's first court appearance Thursday, Magistrate Judge Shannon Elkins ordered his release to a halfway house with GPS monitoring once a space opens up. arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for halfway house

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of halfway house was in 1648

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Halfway house.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halfway%20house. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

halfway house

noun
: a place that provides living quarters and usually counseling to persons who have left an institution (as a prison or mental hospital) but are not ready to live in the community

Medical Definition

halfway house

noun
half·​way house ˈhaf-ˈwā-, ˈhȧf- How to pronounce halfway house (audio)
: a center for individuals after institutionalization (as for mental illness or drug addiction) that is designed to facilitate their readjustment to private life

Legal Definition

halfway house

noun
half·​way house
: a residence for formerly institutionalized individuals (as mental patients, drug addicts, or convicts) that is designed to facilitate their readjustment to private life

More from Merriam-Webster on halfway house

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!