sanctuary

American  

[sangk-choo-er-ee] / ˈsæŋk tʃuˌɛr i /

noun

sanctuaries plural

1. a sacred or holy place.

   Synonyms:

   adytum, sanctum, shrine, altar, temple, church

2. Judaism.

   1. the Biblical tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem.

   2. the holy of holies of these places of worship.

3. an especially holy place in a temple or church.

4. the part of a church around the altar; the chancel.

5. a church or other sacred place where fugitives were formerly entitled to immunity from arrest.

6. immunity afforded by refuge in such a place.

7. any place of refuge; asylum.

8. a tract of land where birds and wildlife, especially those hunted for sport, can breed and take refuge in safety from hunters.

   Synonyms:

   preserve

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sanctuary British  

/ ˈsæŋktjʊərɪ /

noun

1. a holy place

2. a consecrated building or shrine

3. Old Testament

   1. the Israelite temple at Jerusalem, esp the holy of holies

   2. the tabernacle in which the Ark was enshrined during the wanderings of the Israelites

4. the chancel, or that part of a sacred building surrounding the main altar

5. 1. a sacred building where fugitives were formerly entitled to immunity from arrest or execution

   2. the immunity so afforded

6. a place of refuge; asylum

7. a place, protected by law, where animals, esp birds, can live and breed without interference

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sanctuaried
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sanctuaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sanctuary

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Late Latin sānctuārium, from sānctu- (combining form of sanctus; see Sanctus) + -ārium -ary

Explanation

The word sanctuary has religious roots, and can refer to a temple or church, but its use has broadened to include anywhere people go for peaceful tranquility or introspection. Your pickup truck might be your sanctuary if that's where you can clear your head. Historically, a sanctuary is the holiest of holy places — a temple or church. Now, it's a word for anywhere a person feels especially safe and serene. People might call their homes their sanctuary, or a beautiful spot in a quiet woods can be described as a sanctuary. It can also be a way to refer to shelter or asylum from political danger, such as: "The forbidding jungle can offer sanctuary to the guerrilla rebels."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sanctuary sanctuaries

The thing that helped most was finding my own secret garden, a nearby bird sanctuary that crags out over Lake Michigan.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

“Mexodus,” a live-looping, hip-hop musical about an enslaved person who seeks sanctuary south of the border, offers encouraging signs of life for the art form.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Its key highlights were a meditation sanctuary, vegetarian restaurant and "psychic" readings, organised by the British Astrological Society and Psychic Society.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

On the second level, a sizable primary suite creates a beautifully serene sanctuary, complete with a huge ensuite bathroom and a sizable walk-in closet.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

Then she says, “Walk out of the sanctuary like you’re going downstairs to the restroom.”

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

The chapel, whose unusual design includes three spires, two steeples, a belfry and separate sanctuaries for Catholics and Protestants, has been locked and left to decay since being damaged in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

“All of the sanctuaries, everywhere you look, all of the rescues, the reputable ones, they’re bursting at the seams,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026

Dictionary delights, sanctuaries around the globe, the many voices of Harry Potter and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025

It resounded in the sanctuaries of First Baptist and Queen Street Baptist and Bethel AME and thousands of black churches around the country.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• asylum
• church
• harbor
• haven
• hideout
• oasis
• protection
• refuge
• resort
• retreat
• shelter