Meaning & use
panic room
Last updated
UK/ˈpænɪk ruːm/
US/ˈpænɪk ruːm/
Meaning
nouncountable
A secure room in a house or building where people can go to be safe from an intruder or other danger.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a panic room' or 'two panic rooms'.
Patterns
- a panic room in a house
- hide in a panic room
- build a panic room
The mansion has a panic room hidden behind a bookshelf.
When they heard someone break in, the family ran to the panic room and locked the door.
The panic room was stocked with water, food, and a radio.
Word forms
| plural | panic rooms |
|---|
Common combinations
- hidden panic room
- The hidden panic room was impossible to find without the plans.
- escape to a panic room
- They escaped to a panic room when the alarm went off.
- panic room door
- The panic room door was made of steel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- safe room
- A safe room is a more general term for a room designed to protect people from storms or attacks; a panic room is specifically for hiding from intruders.
- bunker
- A bunker is usually underground or fortified against bombs; a panic room is inside a normal building and is for short-term safety.
Practice
The family built a ______ to hide in if someone broke into their home.
Choose one answer.
A panic room is a secure room for hiding from danger. The other rooms are normal parts of a house and do not provide special safety.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “panic room”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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