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

Unfortunately, what was not said was that there is a crisis in halfway house capacity. —Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

In August 2024, Singer was released to a halfway house in Los Angeles, per the Wall Street Journal. —Charna Flam, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

She was released from prison after 10 months and 21 days, in October 2023, and now lives in a halfway house. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2024

The result, too many prisoners are spending more time in costly institutions than in halfway houses. —Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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