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

Some escape rooms are more challenging than others, so your team will need all your focus and wits to help solve a myriad of puzzles and conundrums. —Blaine Callahan, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2024

But there’s lots of fun beyond the pools and slides at the resort, like an arcade, ropes course, escape room, miles of outdoor hiking trails, and even goat yoga. —Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 9 July 2024

Taylor Russell and Logan Miller lead a group of people who end up having to survive a series of increasingly dangerous escape rooms. —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 6 June 2024

As its name states, The Sweet Escape Room & Sweet Axe Throwing offers axe throwing and escape rooms. —Charles Infosino, The Enquirer, 1 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2012, in the meaning defined above

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