room
gb/ɹˈum/ us/ɹˈum/
A1
English
~ 300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Enclosed part of a building
A space inside a building with walls and a door.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is in [a room]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'room' with 'space' when talking about available area; 'room' as a physical space inside a building should not be used for abstract capacity unless using the other meaning.
Synonyms
chamber (More formal or old-fashioned; often used for specific types of rooms.)
Antonyms
outdoors (Refers to open air, outside any building.)
Collocations
living room
|hotel room
|meeting room
|bedroom
|classroom
Themes
daily life
|home
|architecture
|housing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We waited for him in the living room.
- Her office is the smallest room on the floor.
- The hotel room had a beautiful view of the sea.
- Please tidy your room before dinner.
- They turned the spare room into a study.
Learner examples
- I sleep in my own room.
- The teacher is in the classroom.
- This is my favorite room in the house.
- We eat in the dining room.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Available space or capacity
Empty space for something to fit or move.
Usage pattern:
[something] has room for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may incorrectly use 'space' when 'room' sounds more natural in idiomatic contexts like 'make room'.
Synonyms
space (More general; 'room' often implies enough space for a specific purpose.)
Antonyms
crowding (A state where there is no space available.)
Collocations
room for improvement
|make room
|no room left
Themes
daily life
|measurement
|daily_life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There’s no room for another chair here.
- We need to make room for the new sofa.
- The suitcase doesn’t have much room left.
- There’s always room for dessert.
- The car has enough room for five people.
Learner examples
- There is no room for my bag.
- I need more room to work.
- This car has room for four people.
- Please make room for me.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Opportunity or scope for action
Chance or possibility for something to happen.
Usage pattern:
[there] is room for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this figurative meaning with physical space; context determines which meaning applies.
Synonyms
scope (More formal; often used in professional or technical contexts.)
Antonyms
limitation (A restriction that prevents possibility or action.)
Collocations
room for discussion
|room for improvement
Themes
business
|ideas
|core_vocabulary
|work
Examples
- There’s still room for negotiation on the price.
- Her performance leaves little room for criticism.
- There’s plenty of room for improvement in his writing.
- The plan allows no room for error.
Learner examples
- There is room for change in this plan.
- My English has room for improvement.
- We have no room for mistakes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
room
IPA
GB/ɹˈum/
US/ɹˈum/
Syllables & stress
room (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (room)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: room
- Plural: room, rooms
Word family
Expressions
leave room for
1/lˈiv ɹˈum fɚ/
fixed phrase
Allow possibility or space later
To keep space or time so something can happen later.
Examples
- Leave room for dessert after dinner.
- The schedule should leave room for questions at the end.
make room
1/mˈeɪk ɹˈum/
fixed phrase
Create space by moving things
To move things or people so there is space for something else.
Examples
- Please make room for your sister on the couch.
- We had to make room in the garage for the new car.
no room to swing a cat
1/nˈoʊ ɹˈum tə swˈɪŋ ə kˈæt/
idiom
informal
Very little available space
Used to say a place is very small and crowded.
Examples
- This kitchen is so small, there’s no room to swing a cat.
- The cabin had hardly any space—no room to swing a cat.
take up room
1/tˈeɪk ˈʌp ɹˈum/
fixed phrase
Occupy available space
To fill or use space somewhere.
Examples
- These boxes take up too much room in the garage.
- Your suitcase will take up all the room in the trunk.
room for improvement
1/ɹˈum fɚ ɪmpɹˈuvmənt/
fixed phrase
Chance to become better
A way to say something can be better than it is now.
Examples
- Your work is good, but there’s still room for improvement.
- Your essay is good, but there’s still room for improvement.
- Your work is good, but there's still room for improvement.
- The report was fine, but there’s always room for improvement.
- Even the best players have room for improvement.
- The hotel was nice, but there was room for improvement in the service.