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

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sanctuary sanctuaries

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

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

From the top of the hill, Annabeth could see the camp in the valley below—the warm lights of the cabins, the possibility of sanctuary.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

In recent decades, sightings were rare and Florida classified them extirpated, insisting that any spotted in nature were escapees from zoos or sanctuaries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 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

This rapid urbanisation meant grasslands were seen as empty places to build, not sanctuaries to conserve.

From BBC ● Dec. 28, 2025

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025

And yet the day will inevitably come when the only space remaining to us will be these sanctuaries, a precious gift from enlightened mortals.”

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

Related Words

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