safe house

American  

noun

1. a dwelling or building whose conventional appearance makes it a safe or inconspicuous place for hiding, taking refuge, or carrying on clandestine activities.

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safe house British  

noun

1. a place used secretly by undercover agents, terrorists, etc, as a meeting place or refuge

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Etymology

Origin of safe house

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Authorities worried that the departure of the player would reveal the location of the remaining six, so they moved them to a new safe house.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

The government had spent days in secret talks with the players, who were whisked to a safe house after leaving their hotel on the Gold Coast.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

Humanitarian workers here also fear that cuts may soon affect support for victims of violence in places like the safe house where Helene lives.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

After a stint in the forest with partisans, Lili and Theo arrive in Rome, settling into a safe house apartment.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2025

The night before the stay-at-home, I was scheduled to meet the Johannesburg leadership of the ANC at a safe house in Soweto.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela