haven

noun

ha·​ven ˈhā-vən 

1

: harbor, port

2

: a place of safety : refuge

3

: a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions

a haven for artists

haven transitive verb

Synonyms

• anchorage
• harbor
• harborage
• port

Examples of haven in a Sentence

The shelter offers a haven from abusive spouses.

The inn is a haven for weary travelers.

This national park provides a safe haven for wildlife.

Recent Examples on the Web

The rift stretches for 100 miles and is 1,800 feet at its deepest, and right on the edge is Fish River Lodge, a haven for outdoor adventure. —Chloe Berge, Outside Online, 17 June 2025

Gold prices also rallied, as the metal is considered a safe haven trade that investors flock to in times of market volatility. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 15 June 2025

Shambhala Urban Escape — a minimalist haven built for proper restoration that’s a more modest offshoot of the group’s mothership; a wellness hotel folded into a jungly Balinese valley so incredibly beautiful that it could well be paradise itself. —Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025

The strike roiled markets, driving oil prices and safe havens such as gold up, and sending global stocks falling. —Graph Massara, semafor.com, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hæfen; akin to Middle High German habene harbor

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing haven

• tax haven

Rhymes for haven

• craven
• flavin
• graven
• maven
• pavan
• raven
• shaven
• engraven
• unshaven
• riboflavin

Kids Definition

haven

noun

ha·​ven ˈhā-vən 

1

: harbor entry 1 sense 2, port

2

: a place of safety : shelter