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

The safe house is home to at least 30 girls and young women who sleep in bunk beds in colourfully painted rooms.

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

I was anxious to be off before I was banned or arrested, and I spent the night in a safe house in Johannesburg.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela