housebreak: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, specialist (veterinary/pet care)
Quick answer
What does “housebreak” mean?
To train an animal, especially a dog or cat, to excrete outdoors or in a designated litter box.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To train an animal, especially a dog or cat, to excrete outdoors or in a designated litter box.
The process of domesticating an animal to follow household cleanliness rules; figuratively, it can refer to making someone or something accustomed to domestic life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'house-train' is overwhelmingly preferred. 'Housebreak' is understood but sounds American. In AmE, 'housebreak' is standard, 'house-train' is less common but understood.
Connotations
Neutral in AmE; slightly technical/formal in BrE if used. Some BrE speakers may associate 'housebreak' with the unrelated term 'housebreaking' (the act of breaking into a building).
Frequency
Very high frequency in AmE pet-care contexts; very low frequency in BrE, where 'house-train' dominates.
Grammar
How to Use “housebreak” in a Sentence
[Subject] housebreak [Object: animal]Get [Object: animal] housebrokenVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “housebreak” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- It took months to house-train their new Labrador.
- We're currently house-training the kitten.
American English
- We need to housebreak the puppy before winter.
- She successfully housebroke her dog in just a few weeks.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable for this word.
American English
- Not applicable for this word.
adjective
British English
- A well house-trained pet is a joy.
- Is your puppy fully house-trained yet?
American English
- A housebroken dog can be trusted indoors.
- Make sure the pet is housebroken before adopting.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Rare; may appear in animal behaviour studies.
Everyday
Common in pet-owner conversations, especially in North America.
Technical
Used in veterinary and pet training manuals.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “housebreak”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “housebreak”
- Using 'housebreak' as a noun (incorrect: 'the housebreak was difficult'; correct: 'housebreaking' or 'house-training').
- Confusing 'housebroken' (trained) with 'broken into' (burgled).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Housebreak' is the standard term in American English. 'House-train' is the standard term in British English and is also understood in American English. They are synonyms.
Yes, though it's most common for dogs and cats. It can be used for any domestic pet that needs training on where to excrete, such as rabbits or ferrets.
Yes, 'housebroken' (AmE) / 'house-trained' (BrE) is the adjective form describing a pet that has been successfully trained. E.g., 'a housebroken dog'.
Because in British English, the noun 'housebreaking' primarily means 'the crime of breaking into a building to steal'. The pet-training meaning is secondary and less common, so the initial association might be criminal.
To train an animal, especially a dog or cat, to excrete outdoors or in a designated litter box.
Housebreak is usually formal, specialist (veterinary/pet care) in register.
Housebreak: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊs.breɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊs.breɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Housebroke and harmless”
- “Fresh off the farm and not yet housebroken (figurative)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: To break the animal of its habit of soiling the HOUSE.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISCIPLINE IS TRAINING; CIVILIZATION IS CLEANLINESS.
Practice
Quiz
In British English, the most common equivalent of the American verb 'housebreak' is: