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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The Secret Life of Bees
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Chains
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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:
On Sunday 150,000 have signed up to attend mass in the Pyrenean sanctuary of Lourdes.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 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
Bolivian scientist Dr Nogales-Ascarrunz was volunteering at the sanctuary when she noticed the cat looked unusual.
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
Service hasn’t started yet, but there are people all around the sanctuary, talking in little clusters.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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
Mendonça Filho had long heard of houses like the one in which Marcelo hides out, unassuming sanctuaries that shielded people from the dictatorship’s reach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025
The researchers are currently developing its use in sanctuaries for great apes, including chimpanzees and gorillas.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2025
Before we begin organizing sanctuaries and reservations for our software selves, lest we vanish like the whales, here is a thought to relax with.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
