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

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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

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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 plan would make the Trump International Club in West Palm Beach -- where the 80-year-old billionaire often spends weekends on the fairway -- into an official sanctuary for his successors.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

“Hidden behind towering privacy hedges in Encino’s famed “Rancho Estates,” this multi-structure tennis court compound delivers the ultimate sanctuary where high-end luxury seamlessly meets practical family livability,” the listing describes.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

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

Countess of Chester chief executive Tony Chambers referred to it as "the donkey sanctuary".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

He didn’t need to check if Allan Gindi knew to follow him, because the moment the door to the sanctuary closed, the man raised his voice to full volume.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

The charity, which was established in 1964, said it had already started the process of rehoming monkeys to selected sanctuaries and organisations, and that their welfare remained its "top priority".

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

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

Now clean cultivation and the chemical destruction of hedgerows and weeds are eliminating the last sanctuaries of these pollinating insects and breaking the threads that bind life to life.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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Related Words

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

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