asylum seeker

American  

[uh-sahy-luhm see-ker] / əˈsaɪ ləm ˌsi kər /

noun

asylum seekers plural

1. a person, especially a political fugitive, who applies for refuge or asylum in a foreign country or its embassy.

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asylum seeker British  

noun

1. a person who, from fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, social group, or political opinion, has crossed an international frontier into a country in which he or she hopes to be granted refugee status

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• asylum seekers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of asylum seeker

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Judges at times proceeded with hearings before realizing the asylum seeker wasn’t in the room.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

One asylum seeker sprinted into the courthouse, hours after her early morning hearing appointment in early June, her flip flops barely holding together as she frantically ran up and down the hallway.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

The unrest was initially fueled by false social-media posts that said the teen was an asylum seeker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

It takes Fatima Bio only a moment to respond when we ask what it was like to be an asylum seeker in London.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

An asylum seeker must already be present in the US.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi