escape room

noun

plural escape rooms

: a game in which participants confined to a room or other enclosed setting (such as a prison cell) are given a set amount of time to find a way to escape (as by discovering hidden clues and solving a series of riddles or puzzles)

Escape rooms are a game where a group of friends or co-workers get locked into a space to play some puzzles, so they can all win the reward of leaving the room slightly early.

—Nick Douglas

One of the most interesting fusions of digital culture with an older form—in this case, theater—is the escape room, which locks people behind a closed door and asks them to find a way out.

—Chris Suellentrop

also : a place or business where this game is played

This is The Lock Boxx, a new mobile escape room based out of San Luis Obispo County. Customers are "locked" inside the trailer until they can solve the appropriate puzzles and break free.

—Jarod Urrutia

Examples of escape room in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Louder plays Imani, a Black elementary school teacher who butts heads with Ben, a white executive, and wakes up the next day in his body after a mysterious escape room adventure. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 July 2026

Visit An Escape Room Put your teamwork and critical thinking to the test at a local escape room. — Abby Price, Southern Living, 9 July 2026

Those venues, which include an arts and crafts area, karaoke and escape rooms and a speakeasy, will replace the 1,836-passenger ship’s kids spaces. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Other July events include historical walking tours, more escape rooms, farmer’s markets and the Naper Nights concert series. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2012, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for escape room

• anteroom
• assume
• backroom
• ballroom
• barroom
• bathroom
• bedroom
• boardroom
• bridegroom
• classroom
• cloakroom
• consume

Kids Definition

escape room

noun

: a game in which players confined to a room attempt to escape by discovering hidden clues and solving puzzles or riddles