Elbow Room Meaning, Synonyms, Examples

Fights with siblings can start over with something as small as not having elbow room, meaning there’s not enough space for both. The idiom “elbow room”  means having adequate space to move around or act freely, without feeling crowded or restricted. It can be used to describe physical space or figurative space, such as freedom of choice or action. 

Usage With Examples

The idiom “elbow room” meaning origin is not clear, but it may date back to the late 1500s when it was used to refer to the space needed to extend one’s elbows. It may also be related to the phrase “to elbow one’s way”, which means to push or force one’s way through a crowd.

Here are some possible ways to use the idiom in a sentence correctly:

1. I need some elbow room to finish this painting. Can you please move your stuff away from my easel?
2. The new director was given a lot of elbow room to make changes in the company.
3. The restaurant was so packed that we had no elbow room at our table.

Also Read: 500+ Most Commonly Used Idioms in English

Synonyms and Similar Phrases

The idiom’s “elbow room” meaning can be expressed by several other words and phrases in English. Some of them are listed below:

1. Room
2. Space
3. Scope
4. Freedom
5. Latitude
6. Clearance
7. Leeway
8. License
9. Margin
10. Play
11. Range
12. Compass

Elbow Room Meaning Quiz

Which of the following sentences portrays the idiom “elbow room” meaning correctly?

A) She was looking for a new apartment with more elbow room for her furniture. 

B) He gave his friend a friendly elbow room as a sign of encouragement. 

C) She felt suffocated by the lack of elbow room in her relationship. 

D) He had to elbow room his way through the crowd to get to the front.

The correct answer is A)

We hope that you had enough elbow room to understand the idiom “elbow room” meaning, origin, usage and synonyms with this blog. To learn more idioms like these daily, stay tuned to Leverage Edu. Happy Learning!