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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 16 Apr. 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 American Dictionary
- acquire/get/lack experience/training/(an) education
- receive/provide somebody with training
- develop/design/plan a curriculum/course/program/syllabus
- give/go to/attend a class/lesson/lecture/seminar
- hold/run/conduct a class/seminar/workshop
- moderate/lead/facilitate a discussion
- sign up for/take a course/classes/lessons
- go to/start preschool/kindergarten/nursery school
- be in the first, second, etc. grade (at school)
- study/take/drop history/chemistry/German, etc.
- finish/drop out of/quit school
- graduate from high school/college
- be the victim/target of bullying/teasing
- skip/cut/ ( informal ) ditch class/school
- cheat on an exam/a test
- get/be given a detention (for doing something)
- be expelled from/be suspended from school
- do your homework/a project on something
- work on/write/do/submit an essay/a dissertation/a thesis/an assignment/a paper
- finish/complete your dissertation/thesis/studies
- hand in/turn in your homework/essay/assignment/paper
- study/prepare/review/ ( informal ) cram for a test/an exam
- take/ ( formal ) sit for a test/an exam
- grade homework/a test
- do well on/ ( informal ) ace a test/an exam
- pass/fail/ ( informal ) flunk a test/an exam/a class/a course/a subject
- apply to/get into/go to/start college
- leave/graduate from college (with a degree in computer science)/law school
- study for/work towards a law degree/a degree in physics
- major/minor in biology/philosophy
- earn/receive/be awarded/get/have/hold a master's degree/a bachelor's degree/a Ph.D. in economics
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Definition of 'homework'
Video: pronunciation of homework
homework in American English
Homework in british english, examples of 'homework' in a sentence homework, related word partners homework, trends of homework.
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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 '.
- 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
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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.
thorough preparatory study of a subject: to do one's homework for the next committee meeting.
Origin of homework
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for homework
/ ( ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk ) /
school work done out of lessons, esp at home
any preparatory study
work done at home for pay
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with homework
see do one's homework.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
School Life Balance , Tips for Online Students
The Pros and Cons of Homework
Updated: December 7, 2023
Published: January 23, 2020
Homework is a word that most students dread hearing. After hours upon hours of sitting in class , the last thing we want is more schoolwork over our precious weekends. While it’s known to be a staple of traditional schooling, homework has also become a rather divise topic. Some feel as though homework is a necessary part of school, while others believe that the time could be better invested. Should students have homework? Have a closer look into the arguments on both sides to decide for yourself.
Photo by energepic.com from Pexels
Why should students have homework, 1. homework encourages practice.
Many people believe that one of the positive effects of homework is that it encourages the discipline of practice. While it may be time consuming and boring compared to other activities, repetition is needed to get better at skills. Homework helps make concepts more clear, and gives students more opportunities when starting their career .
2. Homework Gets Parents Involved
Homework can be something that gets parents involved in their children’s lives if the environment is a healthy one. A parent helping their child with homework makes them take part in their academic success, and allows for the parent to keep up with what the child is doing in school. It can also be a chance to connect together.
3. Homework Teaches Time Management
Homework is much more than just completing the assigned tasks. Homework can develop time management skills , forcing students to plan their time and make sure that all of their homework assignments are done on time. By learning to manage their time, students also practice their problem-solving skills and independent thinking. One of the positive effects of homework is that it forces decision making and compromises to be made.
4. Homework Opens A Bridge Of Communication
Homework creates a connection between the student, the teacher, the school, and the parents. It allows everyone to get to know each other better, and parents can see where their children are struggling. In the same sense, parents can also see where their children are excelling. Homework in turn can allow for a better, more targeted educational plan for the student.
5. Homework Allows For More Learning Time
Homework allows for more time to complete the learning process. School hours are not always enough time for students to really understand core concepts, and homework can counter the effects of time shortages, benefiting students in the long run, even if they can’t see it in the moment.
6. Homework Reduces Screen Time
Many students in North America spend far too many hours watching TV. If they weren’t in school, these numbers would likely increase even more. Although homework is usually undesired, it encourages better study habits and discourages spending time in front of the TV. Homework can be seen as another extracurricular activity, and many families already invest a lot of time and money in different clubs and lessons to fill up their children’s extra time. Just like extracurricular activities, homework can be fit into one’s schedule.
The Other Side: Why Homework Is Bad
1. homework encourages a sedentary lifestyle.
Should students have homework? Well, that depends on where you stand. There are arguments both for the advantages and the disadvantages of homework.
While classroom time is important, playground time is just as important. If children are given too much homework, they won’t have enough playtime, which can impact their social development and learning. Studies have found that those who get more play get better grades in school , as it can help them pay closer attention in the classroom.
Children are already sitting long hours in the classroom, and homework assignments only add to these hours. Sedentary lifestyles can be dangerous and can cause health problems such as obesity. Homework takes away from time that could be spent investing in physical activity.
2. Homework Isn’t Healthy In Every Home
While many people that think homes are a beneficial environment for children to learn, not all homes provide a healthy environment, and there may be very little investment from parents. Some parents do not provide any kind of support or homework help, and even if they would like to, due to personal barriers, they sometimes cannot. Homework can create friction between children and their parents, which is one of the reasons why homework is bad .
3. Homework Adds To An Already Full-Time Job
School is already a full-time job for students, as they generally spend over 6 hours each day in class. Students also often have extracurricular activities such as sports, music, or art that are just as important as their traditional courses. Adding on extra hours to all of these demands is a lot for children to manage, and prevents students from having extra time to themselves for a variety of creative endeavors. Homework prevents self discovery and having the time to learn new skills outside of the school system. This is one of the main disadvantages of homework.
4. Homework Has Not Been Proven To Provide Results
Endless surveys have found that homework creates a negative attitude towards school, and homework has not been found to be linked to a higher level of academic success.
The positive effects of homework have not been backed up enough. While homework may help some students improve in specific subjects, if they have outside help there is no real proof that homework makes for improvements.
It can be a challenge to really enforce the completion of homework, and students can still get decent grades without doing their homework. Extra school time does not necessarily mean better grades — quality must always come before quantity.
Accurate practice when it comes to homework simply isn’t reliable. Homework could even cause opposite effects if misunderstood, especially since the reliance is placed on the student and their parents — one of the major reasons as to why homework is bad. Many students would rather cheat in class to avoid doing their homework at home, and children often just copy off of each other or from what they read on the internet.
5. Homework Assignments Are Overdone
The general agreement is that students should not be given more than 10 minutes a day per grade level. What this means is that a first grader should be given a maximum of 10 minutes of homework, while a second grader receives 20 minutes, etc. Many students are given a lot more homework than the recommended amount, however.
On average, college students spend as much as 3 hours per night on homework . By giving too much homework, it can increase stress levels and lead to burn out. This in turn provides an opposite effect when it comes to academic success.
The pros and cons of homework are both valid, and it seems as though the question of ‘‘should students have homework?’ is not a simple, straightforward one. Parents and teachers often are found to be clashing heads, while the student is left in the middle without much say.
It’s important to understand all the advantages and disadvantages of homework, taking both perspectives into conversation to find a common ground. At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is the success of the student.
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homework noun
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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
- homeward-bounder, n. 1837–
- homeward-bound pennant, n. 1853–
- homewardly, adv. 1797–
- homewards, adv. & adj. Old English–
- homeware, n. 1782–
- home waters, n. 1838–
- home wear, n. 1836–
- home-whining, n. a1657
- home wind, n. 1732–
- home-woe, n. 1838–
- homework, n. 1653–
- homework club, n. 1900–
- homework diary, n. 1973–
- homeworker, n. 1843–
- homeworking, n. 1844–
- home-working, adj. 1850–
- home worship, n. 1849–
- homewort, n. Old English–
- home-wreck, n. 1845–
- home-wrecker, n. 1878–
- home-wrecking, n. 1878–
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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 September 2023.
oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
- further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into homework, n. in September 2023.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
A Supplement to the New English Dictionary (1933)
- Find out more
OED Second Edition (1989)
- View homework in OED Second Edition
Please submit your feedback for homework, n.
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Citation details
Factsheet for homework, n., browse entry.
- Cambridge Dictionary +Plus
Meaning of do your homework in English
Do your homework.
- batten down the hatches idiom
- break someone in
- bug-out bag
- build (someone/something) up
- get/have your ducks in a row idiom
- gird your self idiom
- roll up your sleeves idiom
- set something up
- set the scene/stage idiom
Translations of do your homework
Get a quick, free translation!
Word of the Day
spin your wheels
to waste time doing things that achieve nothing
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The meaning of HOMEWORK is piecework done at home for pay. 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…
HOMEWORK definition: 1. work that teachers give their students to do at home: 2. work that teachers give their students…. Learn more.
Homework definition: schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom (distinguished from classwork). See examples of HOMEWORK used in a sentence.
HOMEWORK meaning: 1. work that teachers give students to do at home: 2. to prepare carefully for a situation: . Learn more.
homework: 1 n preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home) Synonyms: prep , preparation Type of: school assignment , schoolwork a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher
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.
Definition of homework noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Toggle navigation
homework meaning, definition, what is homework: work that a student at school is asked t...: Learn more. English. ... • Homework is always followed by a singular verb. The homework was really difficult. • When talking about one essay or exercise that you have to do, ...
homework in American English. (ˈhoumˌwɜːrk) noun. 1. schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom ( distinguished from classwork ) 2. paid work done at home, as piecework. 3. thorough preparatory study of a subject.
1. : work that a student is given to do at home. Please do/finish your homework. She started her algebra homework. — compare classwork. 2. : research or reading done in order to prepare for something — used in the phrase do your homework. The candidate did his homework [=studied the issues] before the debate.
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.
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....
HOMEWORK meaning: 1. work that teachers give their students to do at home: 2. work that teachers give their students…. Learn more.
Beyond that point, kids don't absorb much useful information, Cooper says. In fact, too much homework can do more harm than good. Researchers have cited drawbacks, including boredom and burnout toward academic material, less time for family and extracurricular activities, lack of sleep and increased stress.
Homework definition: . See examples of HOMEWORK used in a sentence.
Homework has been in the headlines again recently and continues to be a topic of controversy, with claims that students and families are suffering under the burden of huge amounts of homework. School board members, educators, and parents may wish to turn to the research for answers to their questions about the benefits and drawbacks of 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.
2. In general, you should try to avoid saying "a homework." (As a native speaker, it sounds very strange) The best reason I can think of why it sounds strange is because the word is indefinite in size. Saying "a" homework contradicts its nature of being indefinite by assigning a size to something that is arbitrary.
Homework allows for more time to complete the learning process. School hours are not always enough time for students to really understand core concepts, and homework can counter the effects of time shortages, benefiting students in the long run, even if they can't see it in the moment. 6. Homework Reduces Screen Time.
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:
Traditionally, it is not countable, and most dictionaries list it as such. However, the Merriam-Webster thesaurus (although not the Merriam-Webster dictionary) does have an entry for homeworks. Moreover, the plural form is used by at least some groups of educated native speakers. One's best bet is to try to find out if one's audience belongs to ...
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.
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.