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[ hohm -wurk ]

  • schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom ( distinguished from classwork ).
  • a single assignment of such schoolwork: Homeworks are due at the beginning of class.
  • paid work done at home , as piecework.

to do one's homework for the next committee meeting.

/ ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk /

  • school work done out of lessons, esp at home
  • any preparatory study
  • work done at home for pay

Discover More

Word history and origins.

Origin of homework 1

Idioms and Phrases

Example sentences.

Now, they log on to Zoom from their bedrooms, surrounded by unfinished homework assignments and tattered stuffed animals, waiting to be assigned calls, texts and emails by the trained therapists who oversee the program.

Yow started her homework and saw Frese had gone 35-22 with two winning seasons at Ball State, which hadn’t had a winning record in its previous nine seasons.

Do some homework before investing in a diamond, and that lifelong commitment.

Another poster included an image of their losses over what appeared to be online math homework.

As we countdown to Inauguration Day, I've been doing my homework—and looking to the past for inspiration.

“I can help my children with their homework and sometimes we text in English at my job,” Santos says.

Scheunemann, meanwhile, had no idea who Spencer was, and did some homework.

She jumped at the chance to watch RT, or jumped at the chance to skip calculus homework.

And we encourage parent-student “contracts,” for class attendance, homework submission and even extra-curriculum activities.

Adicéam did his homework, spending 50 days collecting pieces, many with unexpected stories behind them.

Much of this homework is done by a very bad light and the boy's eyes suffer much.

For homework we have prepared alphabets where the letters are printed in type-writing order.

His parents were always getting angry with him for losing his clothes, or his toys, or his homework.

Only at the time when he was going to Beauregard School, with his homework.

And once a week or twice a week she was sending her homework or something to him.

Related Words

  • arrangement
  • construction
  • establishment
  • preparedness
  • qualification

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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Definition of homework

Examples of homework in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near homework

Cite this entry.

“Homework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homework. Accessed 26 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of homework, more from merriam-webster on homework.

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for homework

Nglish: Translation of homework for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of homework for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about homework

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Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

  • I always do my homework on the bus.
  • physics/geography/French, etc. homework
  • I still haven't done my geography homework.
  • How much homework do you get?
  • for homework I have to write up the notes for homework.
  • (especially North American English) I have to finish this homework assignment .
  • acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
  • receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
  • develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
  • give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
  • hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
  • sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
  • go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
  • be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
  • study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
  • (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
  • (North American English) graduate high school/​college
  • be the victim/​target of bullying
  • (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
  • (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
  • (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
  • get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
  • be expelled from/​be suspended from school
  • do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
  • work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
  • finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
  • hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
  • study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
  • take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
  • (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
  • (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
  • pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
  • apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
  • leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
  • study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
  • (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
  • earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
  • Have you finished your homework?
  • Have you done your physics homework yet?
  • I was helping my sister with her maths homework.
  • The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade.
  • I have some homework to do on the Civil War.
  • I want you to hand in this homework on Friday.
  • The science teacher always gives a lot of homework.
  • They get a lot of homework in English.
  • They get masses of homework at secondary school.
  • We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.
  • for homework
  • homework  on

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

homework meaning cambridge -1) { var audPrefAccent = audPref.split(':')[0]; var playbackRate = audPref.split(':')[1]; } else { var audPrefAccent = audPref; var playbackRate = 1; } var re = new RegExp('( UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈhəʊmwɜː k/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(hōm wûrk′)
| | | | | | |

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024
home•work      n. [ ] schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom:complaining about too much homework.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024
home•work   wûrk′),USA pronunciation n.  schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom ( ). paid work done at home, as piecework. + work 1675–85
/ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/ n ' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations): - - - - - - - - - - - - - , , , , , , , , [math, physics, English] homework, a homework assignment, did you finish your homework?,

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homework noun

What does the noun homework mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun homework . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun homework ?

How is the noun homework pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the noun homework come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun homework is in the mid 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for homework is from 1653, in the writing of Edmund Chillenden, parliamentarian army officer and General Baptist leader.

homework is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: home n. 1 , work n.

Nearby entries

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for homework, n..

homework, n. was revised in September 2011.

homework, n. was last modified in July 2023.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into homework, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the New English Dictionary (1933)

OED Second Edition (1989)

Please submit your feedback for homework, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for homework, n., browse entry.

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  • Meaning of homework

homework ( English)

Origin & history, pronunciation.

  • IPA: /ˈhoʊmˌwɜrk/
  • Work that is done at home , especially school exercises assigned by a teacher .
  • " Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16.[…]Children address teachers by their first names. Even 15-year-olds do no more than 30 minutes' [ sic ] homework a night. "    You must do your homework before you can watch television.‎
  • Preliminary or preparatory work, such as research.    The speaker had certainly done his homework before delivering the lecture.‎
  • See citations:homework

▾  Further examples

Danielle Lloyd doesnt see the point in school homework and has called for it to be abolished. Female First, 30 May 2019

Pittsburgh school officials are investigating inappropriatehomework assigned to first graders about children running from a police officer. MiamiHerald.com, 27 September 2019

A Missouri elementary school has come under fire after a teacher gave out a homework assignment that asked fifth-grade students what they would charge for slaves. Mail Online, 10 December 2019

Pupils in Hull were assigned pornography homework but not told the internet was banned for research. BBC News, 20 May 2020

A mum has asked for help with her seven-year-old son’s maths homework after it completely baffled her – and a woman with a maths PhD. news.com.au, 1 October 2020

In an interaction with kids on a TV show, the 'run-machine' recalled how he would get stressed when his homework would still be pending after the vacation holidays. The Times of India, 14 May 2020

The Green Party has promised to ‘explore’ the scrapping of homework for primary school students in its manifesto. Independent.ie, 25 January 2020

▾  Dictionary entries

Entries where "homework" occurs:

läksy : läksy (Finnish) Origin & history From Swedish läxa ("homework"). Noun läksy homework (school exercise set by a teacher); often used in plural, especially as an object with verbs tehdä ("to do"), lukea ("to read")…

宿題 : see also 宿题‎ 宿題 (Chinese) trad. 宿題, simpl. 宿题 Pronunciation Mandarin: sùtí Cantonese: suk1 tai4 Min Nan: siok-tê/siok-tôe Noun 宿題 (Japanese or Korean) homework ; assignment 宿題 (Japanese) Noun 宿題 (しゅくだい)…

-ni : …subject "I", appended to :    Tehdäkseni läksyni hyvin (minä) menin hiljaiseen huoneeseen.    (In order) to do my homework well, I went into a quiet room. (possessive) Used in some , when the clause has the subject "I".    Olen…

-si : …appended to :   • Tehdäksesi läksysi hyvin (sinä) menit hiljaiseen huoneeseen.   • * (In order) to do your homework well, you went into a quiet room. (possessive) Used in some , when the clause has the subject "you" (addressing one…

-mme : …subject "we", appended to :   • Tehdäksemme läksymme hyvin (me) menimme hiljaiseen huoneeseen.‎ (In order) to do our homework well, we went into a quiet room.‎ (possessive) Used in some , when the clause has the subject "we"…

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▾  Next

homeworker (English)

homeworkers (English)

homeworking (English)

homeworkless (English)

homeworks (English)

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Translation of homework – English–Traditional Chinese dictionary

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  • The kids are busy with their homework.
  • My science teacher always sets a lot of homework.
  • "Have you got any homework tonight ?" "No."
  • I got A minus for my English homework.
  • For homework I want you to write an essay on endangered species .

(Translation of homework from the Cambridge English-Chinese (Traditional) Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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home•work

An assignment is a task that someone is given to do, usually as part of their job.

An assignment is also a piece of academic work given to students.

In American English, an assignment is also a piece of work given to students to do at home.

Work given to schoolchildren to do at home is also called homework .

Be Careful! Homework is an uncountable noun. You do not talk about 'homeworks' or 'a homework'. Note that you do not say ' I have made my homework '. You say 'I have done my homework'.

Homework is work that school pupils are given to do at home. You say that pupils do homework. Don't say that they ' make homework '.

Housework is work such as cleaning or washing that is done in a house.

Be Careful! Both homework and housework are uncountable nouns. Don't talk about ' a homework ' or ' houseworks '.

- preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home) , , - a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher , , , , , - the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill; "he received no formal education"; "our instruction was carefully programmed"; "good classroom teaching is seldom rewarded"
  • assignability
  • best of all
  • brain-teaser
  • change magnitude
  • concentrate
  • homeshoring
  • homesickness
  • Home-speaking
  • Homestead Act
  • homestead exemption
  • homestead law
  • homesteader
  • homesteading
  • homestretch
  • Homeward bound
  • homeward(s)
  • homeward-bound
  • homework problem
  • homeworking
  • homewrecker
  • homichlophobia
  • homicide bomber
  • Homicide by misadventure
  • homicidomania
  • homiletical
  • homing adaptor
  • homing device
  • homing guidance
  • hometraining
  • Hometronic Internet Module
  • HomeVestors of America, Inc.
  • Homeward Bound
  • Homeward Bound (disambiguation)
  • Homeward Bound Animal Rescue Inc.
  • Homeward Bound Greyhound Association
  • Homeward Bound Theatre Company
  • Homeward Trail Bible Camp
  • homeward-boundly
  • Homewood City Schools
  • Homewood Institutional Review Board
  • Homewood Maitland Safety Association
  • Homewood Musical Instrument Co.
  • Homewood-Flossmoor Swim Club, Inc.
  • Homework Access Line
  • Homework assignment
  • Homework Assistance Hotline
  • Homework Center
  • Homework Diary
  • Homework help
  • Homework hotline
  • Homeworkers
  • Homeworkers Organized for More Employment
  • Homeworkers' Union and Small Business Association
  • Homeworking
  • Homeworld 2
  • Homewrecker
  • Homewrecker (MTV series)
  • Facebook Share

homework meaning cambridge

homework meaning cambridge

  • business plan
  • essay writing
  • paper writing
  • research paper
  • review writing

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COMMENTS

  1. HOMEWORK

    HOMEWORK definition: 1. work that teachers give their students to do at home: 2. work that teachers give their students…. Learn more.

  2. HOMEWORK

    HOMEWORK meaning: 1. work that teachers give students to do at home: 2. to prepare carefully for a situation: . Learn more.

  3. Cambridge English Dictionary: Meanings & Definitions

    The most popular dictionary and thesaurus. Meanings & definitions of words in English with examples, synonyms, pronunciations and translations.

  4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK

    DO YOUR HOMEWORK definition: 1. to study a subject or situation carefully so that you know a lot about it and can deal with it…. Learn more.

  5. The pros and cons of homework for English language learners

    Homework can provide an opportunity for English learners to practise and consolidate what they have learned in class. This can help them improve their understanding and memory of the material. If you are confident that your learners have understood the materials, it can be useful to give them extra independent practice.

  6. HOMEWORK Definition & Meaning

    Homework definition: schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom (distinguished from classwork).. See examples of HOMEWORK used in a sentence.

  7. Homework Definition & Meaning

    How to use homework in a sentence. piecework done at home for pay; an assignment given to a student to be completed outside the regular class period… See the full definition

  8. homework noun

    1 work that is given by teachers for students to do at home I still haven't done my geography homework. How much homework do you get? I have to write up the notes for homework. compare classwork Topic Collocations Education learning. acquire/get/lack experience/training/(an) education; receive/provide somebody with training

  9. homework noun

    The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade. I have some homework to do on the Civil War. I want you to hand in this homework on Friday. The science teacher always gives a lot of homework. They get a lot of homework in English. They get masses of homework at secondary school. We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.

  10. Homework

    Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed at home. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, mathematical exercises to be completed, information to be reviewed before a test, or other skills to be practiced.

  11. HOMEWORK

    HOMEWORK meaning: 1. work that teachers give their students to do at home: 2. work that teachers give their students…. Learn more.

  12. HOMEWORK definition and meaning

    3 meanings: 1. school work done out of lessons, esp at home 2. any preparatory study 3. work done at home for pay.... Click for more definitions.

  13. Make homework work for you

    Digital tools can provide valuable information which enables students to prepare for class, allow teachers and students to communicate during the homework practice, and give a clear framework in order to personalise assignments, as well as a whole host of other advantages. Catch up on Ricardo's webinar and find out how you can make homework ...

  14. homework

    homework - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.

  15. DO YOUR HOMEWORK definition

    DO YOUR HOMEWORK meaning: 1. to study a subject or situation carefully so that you know a lot about it and can deal with it…. Learn more.

  16. homework, n. meanings, etymology and more

    What does the noun homework mean? There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun homework. See 'Meaning & use' for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use. How common is the noun homework? About 5 occurrences per million words in modern written English . 1750: 0.0054: 1760: 0.0036: 1770: 0.0017: 1780: 0: 1790:

  17. The role of homework

    The role of homework is hardly mentioned in the majority of general ELT texts or training courses, suggesting that there is little question as to its value even if the resulting workload is time-consuming. However, there is clearly room for discussion of homework policies and practices particularly now that technology has made so many more resources available to learners outside the classroom.

  18. homework

    The meaning of homework. Definition of homework. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.

  19. homework: meaning, translation

    WordSense Dictionary: homework - spelling, hyphenation, synonyms, translations, meanings & definitions.

  20. Cambridge One

    Cambridge One Your home for digital learning. Get access to a wide range of activities, resources and tools to support your teaching and learning with Cambridge

  21. homework definition

    homework translations: 功課. Learn more in the Cambridge English-Chinese traditional Dictionary.

  22. Homework

    Define homework. homework synonyms, homework pronunciation, homework translation, English dictionary definition of homework. n. 1. Work, such as schoolwork or piecework, that is done at home. 2. Preparatory or preliminary work: did their homework before coming to the meeting....

  23. homework meaning cambridge

    More from M-W; To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In; Definition of homework. Examples of homework in a sentence. These examples are programmatically compiled from vari