asylum

American  

[uh-sahy-luhm] / əˈsaɪ ləm /

noun

1. (especially formerly) an institution for the maintenance and care of the mentally ill, orphans, or other persons requiring specialized assistance.

2. an inviolable refuge, as formerly for criminals and debtors; sanctuary.

   He sought asylum in the church.

   Synonyms:

   retreat, shelter, haven

3. International Law.

   1. a refuge granted an alien by a sovereign state on its own territory.

   2. a temporary refuge granted political offenders, especially in a foreign embassy.

4. any secure retreat.

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asylum British  

/ əˈsaɪləm /

noun

1. a safe or inviolable place of refuge, esp as formerly offered by the Christian Church to criminals, outlaws, etc; sanctuary (often in the phrase give asylum to )

2. shelter; refuge

3. international law refuge afforded to a person whose extradition is sought by a foreign government

   political asylum

4. obsolete an institution for the shelter, treatment, or confinement of individuals, esp a mental hospital (formerly termed lunatic asylum )

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Etymology

Origin of asylum

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin, from Greek ásȳlon “sanctuary,” from a- a- ⁶ + sŷlon “right of seizure”

Explanation

When someone needs a refuge from a difficult or dangerous situation, they need asylum. If a government offers to protect people who have fled war or hardship in their own country, it gives them asylum. You may have heard asylum used to describe an institution where insane people are housed, but did you know that an asylum can also be somewhere you’d happily and willingly go? An asylum offers shelter and protection, like the awning of a building in a downpour. Or it could be a country that takes in refugees in danger of persecution — otherwise known as "political asylum."

Example Sentences

Asylum seekers who require housing support are given accommodation by the Home Office.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Asylum seekers with the right to work - generally only granted after waiting for a decision for more than a year - could also be denied assistance under the plans.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Asylum applications to the EU dropped by almost 20 percent in 2025, the bloc's asylum agency said Tuesday -- warning however that a crisis in Iran could result in refugee movements of "unprecedented magnitude".

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Asylum seekers with pending applications are in the country legally, but under federal law, failing to appear for a hearing can result in a deportation order.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

At the end of September, Lemos found the burden of caring for all of these dependents overwhelming, and, reluctantly and tearfully, she placed four of her children in the nearby Half-Orphan Asylum.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy

Related Words

• haven
• refuge
• sanctuary
• shelter