Phrase guide

elbow room

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Room (space) in which to move or maneuver.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • There wasn't that much elbow room in the aircraft.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: room, space, volume

2

noun

Meaning 2

Freedom or leeway.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, uncountable

Examples

  • The employees really don't have much elbow room in which to explore new ideas.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

space for movement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • room to pass
  • make way for
  • hardly enough elbow room to turn around

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: room, way

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: position, spatial relation

Narrower terms: seating, seats, seating room, seating area, standing room, breathing room, breathing space, headroom, headway, clearance, houseroom, living space, lebensraum, parking, sea room

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 空間 /空间 (kōngjiān) — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Danish: albuerum — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Finnish: kyynärpäätila — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • French: place — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • French: espace — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • German: Ellbogenfreiheit — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Hungarian: mozgástér — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Italian: libertà di manovra — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Japanese: 余地 (yochi) — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Japanese: 余裕 (yoyū) — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Norwegian Bokmål: albuerom — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Norwegian Bokmål: alburom — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: olbogerom — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Polish: przestrzeń — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Polish: miejsce — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Russian: ме́сто (mésto) — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Swedish: armbågsrum — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Swedish: svängrum — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Swedish: utrymme — room or space in which to move or maneuver
  • Chinese Mandarin: 自由度 (zìyóudù) — freedom or leeway
  • Chinese Mandarin: 餘地 /余地 (yúdì) — freedom or leeway
  • Chinese Mandarin: 退路 (tuìlù) — freedom or leeway
  • Danish: albuerum — freedom or leeway
  • Finnish: tila — freedom or leeway
  • French: liberté d'action — freedom or leeway
  • French: marge de manœuvre — freedom or leeway
  • German: Bewegungsfreiheit — freedom or leeway
  • German: Ellbogenfreiheit — freedom or leeway
  • German: Spielraum — freedom or leeway
  • Hungarian: mozgástér — freedom or leeway
  • Italian: libertà di manovra — freedom or leeway
  • Japanese: 余地 (yochi) — freedom or leeway
  • Japanese: 自由裁量 (jiyūsairyō) — freedom or leeway
  • Korean: elbow room — freedom or leeway
  • Norwegian Bokmål: albuerom — freedom or leeway
  • Norwegian Bokmål: alburom — freedom or leeway
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: olbogerom — freedom or leeway
  • Polish: swoboda — freedom or leeway
  • Russian: просто́р (prostór) — freedom or leeway
  • Swedish: svängrum — freedom or leeway
  • Swedish: spelrum — freedom or leeway