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Synonyms

room

American  
[room, room] / rum, rʊm /

noun

  1. a portion of space within a building or other structure, separated by walls or partitions from other parts.

    a dining room.

  2. rooms, lodgings or quarters, as in a house or building.

  3. the persons present in a room.

    The whole room laughed.

  4. space or extent of space occupied by or available for something.

    The desk takes up too much room.

  5. opportunity or scope for something.

    room for improvement; room for doubt.

    Synonyms:
    allowance, margin, provision
  6. status or a station in life considered as a place.

    He fought for room at the top.

  7. capacity.

    Her brain had no room for trivia.

  8. Mining. a working area cut between pillars.


verb (used without object)

rooms, present (3rd person singular) roomed, past participle, past rooming present participle
  1. to occupy a room or rooms; lodge.

room British  
/ ruːm, rʊm /

noun

  1. space or extent, esp unoccupied or unobstructed space for a particular purpose

    is there room to pass?

  2. an area within a building enclosed by a floor, a ceiling, and walls or partitions

    sitting room

    dining room

  3. (functioning as singular or plural) the people present in a room

    the whole room was laughing

  4. (foll by for) opportunity or scope

    room for manoeuvre

  5. (plural) a part of a house, hotel, etc, that is rented out as separate accommodation; lodgings

    she got rooms in town

  6. a euphemistic word for lavatory

"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

verb

  1. (intr) to occupy or share a room or lodging

    where does he room?

"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
room Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing room


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of room

First recorded before 900; Middle English roum(e), Old English rūm; cognate with Dutch ruim, German Raum

Explanation

A room is a space in a house or building that's usually enclosed with walls. Your favorite room in your house might be the den where the TV is, or the cozy kitchen. There's the physical area called a room, and then there's the concept of room, which can mean "space" or "opportunity." If you have room in your life for a puppy, it means you can make the time to walk it and feed it and play with it. If you have room in your bedroom for a puppy, it means you have the physical space you need for a dog bed.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nine people lived in two rooms, with a third room added later.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

They’ll go back to their desks, the room sits empty, and the helplessness deepens.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

That engrossing yourself in every meticulous step — from measuring out your own leavening agents to bringing your butter and eggs to room temperature — is what qualifies as real baking.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

If investors want to buy into newly public growth companies, they might have to sell some existing holdings to make room, he said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 14, 2026

He checks his watch and goes to the living room.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

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