Word
headroom
Phoneticshead·room, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhɛˌdɹum/
UK/hˈɛdɹuːm/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the space above your head when you sit or stand inside a car or room. People also use it for extra room before you hit a limit.
n. vertical clearance between the head and a ceiling or roof, especially in a vehicle or interior space. Extended figuratively to any safety margin before reaching a physical or operational limit.
Examples
“This car has plenty of headroom for tall drivers.”
“The agent warns that the attic bedroom offers little headroom near the sloping eaves.”
“Despite its compact exterior, the new hatchback provides generous headroom that lets six-foot passengers sit upright on long journeys.”
Examples
simple
“This car has plenty of headroom for tall drivers.”
contextual
“The agent warns that the attic bedroom offers little headroom near the sloping eaves.”
complex
“Despite its compact exterior, the new hatchback provides generous headroom that lets six-foot passengers sit upright on long journeys.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “headroom” in context.
Verb
01. create headroom
“Cutting costs will create headroom for future investment.”
verb + noun
02. headroom allows
“This headroom allows tall adults to sit upright comfortably.”
noun + verb
03. headroom shrinks
“As you recline the seat, headroom shrinks noticeably in the back.”
noun + verb
04. increase headroom
“Raising the roof significantly increased headroom in the cabin.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. ample headroom
“The SUV offers ample headroom for tall passengers in both rows.”
adj + noun
06. extra headroom
“The high roof gives wheelchair users extra headroom inside the van.”
adj + noun
07. fiscal headroom
“The government has little fiscal headroom to cut taxes this year.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. headroom for growth
“The startup has plenty of headroom for growth this year.”
noun + prep + noun
09. inch of headroom
“The redesign adds an inch of headroom for rear passengers.”
noun + prep + noun
10. lack of headroom
“Tall drivers often complain about a lack of headroom in small cars.”
noun + prep + noun
11. give yourself some headroom
“Leave early to give yourself some headroom in traffic.”
12. leave little headroom for error
“The tight deadline leaves little headroom for error.”
Real-World Examples
“Even my friends relegated to the third row have enough headroom and legroom and never complain about comfort, and there’s a separate climate control panel for the second row.” Etymology
From head + room.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/headroom