brothel

IPA/ˈbrɒθl/
KK[brˈɑθəl]IPA/ˈbrɑːθl/

brothel — noun

  • brothelsingular
  • brothelsplural

1. a house or business where sex workers meet paying customers for sexual services

1.nounC1
Definition

a house or business where sex workers meet paying customers for sexual services

Example

Police shut the brothel after neighbors reported late-night fights outside.

collocation: shut a brothel

Christopher rented a room above a former brothel near the old port.

pattern: former brothel

Common collocations
  • run a brothel
  • close a brothel
  • illegal brothel
  • brothel raid
  • brothel license
Synonyms
  • bordello

    older or more literary in tone

  • whorehouse

    rougher and often insulting because it uses a derogatory word for the workers

  • house of prostitution

    formal phrase used especially in legal or official writing

Usage Note

Usually refers to the building or business, not to the people working there. In modern use, the word often appears in news, legal, or historical contexts such as raids, closures, or licensing.

Common Mistakes

The police closed the brothel house.
The police closed the brothel.
'brothel' already means that kind of house, so adding 'house' is unnecessary.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Brothel' is the neutral modern word for a place where customers pay for sex. 'Bordello' often sounds older, more literary, or more dramatic. 'Whorehouse' is rougher and often insulting because it contains a strongly offensive word for the workers. 'House of prostitution' is the most formal option and is common in legal or official writing. Choose 'brothel' when you want the meaning without extra historical, literary, or insulting tone.

brothel ↗bordello ↗whorehouse ↗house of prostitution

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • run a brothel
  • close a brothel
  • brothel raid