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
In reality, the OnPoint facilities are somewhere between halfway houses and clinics, with staff trained in medical practices and wraparound services offered to often grateful drug abusers.
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 May 2024
Gary Oldman is phenomenal as the head of Slough House, a sort of halfway house for British spies who made mistakes in more prominent positions.
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Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 16 May 2024
After being released to a halfway house last June, Lee enrolled in community college and found work at a local nonprofit.
—
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2024
Since then, Sherri has served her time in jail and at a halfway house, all while Keith has rebuilt his life and told his side of the story in the Hulu docuseries Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini, premiering June 20.
—
Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 21 June 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'halfway house.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near halfway house
Cite this Entry
“Halfway house.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halfway%20house. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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-
: 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
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for halfway house
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