workroom

workroom — noun

1. a room in a home or building where someone does hands-on work or makes things by

1.nounB1
Definition

a room in a home or building where someone does hands-on work or makes things by hand, such as sewing, woodworking, or repairing objects

Example

Takeshi keeps his sewing machine in a small workroom at the back of the house.

collocation: keeps [something] in a workroom

The school's art workroom has pottery wheels and a kiln for firing clay bowls.

compound noun: art workroom

Common collocations
  • set up a workroom
  • turn [a room] into a workroom
  • use [something] as a workroom
  • home workroom
  • art workroom
  • workroom space
Synonyms
  • workshop

    often suggests a larger, more specialised space with heavy tools, common in industrial or trade settings

  • studio

    typically used for artistic work such as painting, photography, dance, or music

  • craft room

    a domestic room dedicated to hobbies like scrapbooking, knitting, or card-making

Grammar Patterns

[countable] noun

Usage Note

A workroom differs from an office in that it is used for physical or manual tasks rather than desk-based work. It is often found in private homes, schools, or small businesses.

Common Mistakes

I need a workroom to do my homework.
I need a study to do my homework.
a workroom is for hands-on making or repairing, not for academic study.
He works in a workroom at the company's head office.
He works in a workshop at the company's factory.
workroom suggests a domestic or small-scale setting, while workshop is preferred for industrial contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Workroom, workshop, studio, craft room, and office all describe indoor spaces for activity, but their uses differ. A workroom is a general term for a room where hands-on tasks happen, typically in a home or small business. A workshop is larger and more specialised, often fitted with heavy machinery for woodworking, metalwork, or car repairs. A studio emphasises artistic creation — painting, photography, dance, or music recording. A craft room is a domestic space for hobbies like scrapbooking, knitting, or card-making. An office is for paperwork and computer work, not for making or repairing objects. For example: 'She uses the spare bedroom as a workroom for her pottery.' 'He spends weekends in the workshop fixing his motorcycle.'

workshop ↗studio ↗craft roomoffice ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • home workroom
  • school workroom
  • art workroom
  • sewing workroom

Phrases

  • set up a workroom
  • turn [a room] into a workroom
  • use [a room] as a workroom
  • workroom space

Prepositions

  • in a/the workroom
  • into a workroom
  • as a workroom

Etymology

Old EnglishFrenchLatinEnglish

The word workroom was formed by combining the Old English weorc ('work') with the word room, which entered English via Old French and Latin. The compound has been in use since at least the 18th century to describe a space set aside for practical tasks or making things.