sanctuary
Americannoun
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sanctuaries
plural
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a sacred or holy place.
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Judaism.
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the Biblical tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem.
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the holy of holies of these places of worship.
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an especially holy place in a temple or church.
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the part of a church around the altar; the chancel.
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a church or other sacred place where fugitives were formerly entitled to immunity from arrest.
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immunity afforded by refuge in such a place.
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any place of refuge; asylum.
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a tract of land where birds and wildlife, especially those hunted for sport, can breed and take refuge in safety from hunters.
- Synonyms:
- preserve
noun
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a holy place
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a consecrated building or shrine
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Old Testament
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the Israelite temple at Jerusalem, esp the holy of holies
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the tabernacle in which the Ark was enshrined during the wanderings of the Israelites
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the chancel, or that part of a sacred building surrounding the main altar
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a sacred building where fugitives were formerly entitled to immunity from arrest or execution
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the immunity so afforded
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a place of refuge; asylum
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a place, protected by law, where animals, esp birds, can live and breed without interference
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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."
Vocabulary lists containing sanctuary
I Am Malala
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Chains
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The Secret Life of Bees
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Only one confirmed member of the species is known - a cat living in a rescue sanctuary in Bolivia - but scientists believe others exist.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Amid a record-breaking wave of anti-trans legislation, Sam Rypinski’s gender-neutral Everybody Gym offers a vital sanctuary for queer athletes and allies in Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Animals rescued in and around Bangkok often come to the DNP's small facility for initial treatment before being transferred to a sanctuary.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
The beach house served as a sanctuary for the late painter and was passed to his actor son after his death in 1993.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The raptor sanctuary only hosts member hours on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
The rising cost of food and veterinary services, which can put even individual pet owners in difficult situations, creates an even bigger burden on sanctuaries and rescues caring for so many animals.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2026
Managers at one of the UK's largest bird sanctuaries say they have seen a "significant increase" in the number of younger visitors.
From BBC ● May 9, 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
Using thermal cameras in ape sanctuaries could prove to be valuable in helping rescued animals to adjust and settle in to a new social group and strange surroundings.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
