housebound

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "housebound" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe someone who is unable to leave their home, often due to illness or disability. Example: "After her surgery, she became housebound for several weeks, relying on friends for groceries and companionship."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Later, America's first Nobel laureate, Sinclair Lewis, said that Dreiser's powerful first novel "came to housebound and airless America like a great free Western wind, and to our stuffy domesticity gave us the first fresh air since Mark Twain and Whitman".

The Guardian - Books

We know that what works for a technologically savvy young person with type one diabetes isn't suitable for an elderly, housebound patient with type two diabetes.

The Guardian

The most probable pattern is V-shaped; high spending in the early years while they can still travel; a fall in spending as they become more housebound; and then a surge in spending in the final years to pay for nursing-home care.

The Economist

Housebound women were also far more likely to report symptoms of depression than their working counterparts, problems which can only make the process of childrearing more difficult.

The Economist

Mr Yeltsin has pulled many a similar trick before and got away with it.To issue grand public commands is also a way for him to pose as the man running the country—a pose he must strike as often as possible, since illness and fatigue have kept him in hospital or housebound for at least seven of the 18 months since his re-election in July 1996.

The Economist

The more children they have, the more likely they are to be housebound.

The Economist

Valerie Finnis he describes communicating shrub news, with her proud "28 flowers on the xanthoceras", to her housebound husband using a walkie-talkie "whose volume, eventually, she learned to control".

The Economist

One man who claimed to be virtually housebound was snapped fishing for marlin in Costa Rica (pictured).Cyrus Vance, Manhattan's district attorney, speculates that the scheme, which dates back to 1988, may have involved as many as 1,000 people and as much as $400m in benefits.

The Economist

Old and housebound Scots and English have posted stones to the cairn, often colourfully decorated with the union flag, or the Saltire, or with personal messages.

The Economist

A wide-angle camera, mounted on a rolling platform and remotely controlled by directional arrows on a laptop computer, opened the collection to housebound visitors.

Encyclopedia Britannica

For the past ten years the 46-year-old north Londoner has been virtually housebound and cut of from the outside world.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "housebound", consider the reason for the confinement to provide context. For instance, specify if it's due to illness, disability, or weather conditions.

Common error

Avoid using "housebound" metaphorically. It's best reserved for situations where someone is genuinely unable to leave their home, not simply preferring to stay in.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "housebound" is as an adjective. It modifies a noun, describing a state of being confined to one's home. Ludwig examples show its common usage in describing individuals with limited mobility.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

77%

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Science

4%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "housebound" is an adjective describing someone restricted to their home, typically due to illness or disability. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. The phrase is very common, appearing frequently in news and media, and encyclopedia sources. Ludwig examples illustrate various contexts where "housebound" is used, such as describing elderly individuals, people with disabilities, or those affected by extreme weather. For alternatives, consider "confined to home", "homebound", or "shut-in". When using "housebound", ensure it accurately reflects the individual's inability to leave their home and avoid overuse in metaphorical contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

homebound

Direct synonym of "housebound", emphasizing the inability to leave home.

confined to home

Indicates a restriction to one's residence, similar to "housebound", but may imply a broader range of reasons for confinement.

restricted to the house

Similar to "housebound", but emphasizes that rules or circumstances are confining someone to their home.

shut-in

Emphasizes the isolation and lack of social interaction due to being confined.

unable to leave the house

Explicitly states the inability to go outside, similar to "housebound".

confined indoors

Highlights that the person is forced to stay inside, which may or may not be their home.

bedridden

Implies confinement to bed, a more severe form of being "housebound".

immobilized

Focuses on the lack of physical mobility, which may or may not result in being confined to home.

laid up

Informal term for being confined due to illness or injury.

stuck at home

More casual way of saying someone is unable to leave their residence.

FAQs

How to use "housebound" in a sentence?

You can use "housebound" to describe someone who is unable to leave their home, as in "She became "housebound" after the accident" or "The elderly man was "housebound" due to his frail health".

What can I say instead of "housebound"?

You can use alternatives like "confined to home", "homebound", or "shut-in" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "housebound" to describe someone working from home?

While someone working from home spends a lot of time there, "housebound" is generally reserved for situations where someone is unable to leave their home due to illness, disability, or other restrictions. Using it to describe remote work might be misleading.

What's the difference between "housebound" and "bedridden"?

"Housebound" means someone is primarily confined to their home, while "bedridden" indicates they are confined to their bed, representing a more severe limitation.