sanctuary

1 of 2

noun

sanc·​tu·​ary ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce sanctuary (audio)
plural sanctuaries
1
: a consecrated place: such as
a
: the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies
b(1)
: the most sacred part of a religious building (such as the part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed)
(2)
: the room in which general worship services are held
(3)
: a place (such as a church or a temple) for worship
2
a(1)
: a place of refuge and protection
(2)
: a refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal
b
: the immunity from law attached to a sanctuary

sanctuary

2 of 2

adjective

US
: relating to or being a locality that provides limited cooperation to federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws or policies
a sanctuary jurisdiction
sanctuary policies
… the executive order … designed to crack down on so-called "sanctuary cities," municipalities that do not comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement … requests for assistance with identifying and deporting undocumented immigrants.Euan McKirdy

Did you know?

Historically, churches have been places where fugitives could seek at least temporary protection from the law. In Anglo-Saxon England, churches and churchyards generally provided 40 days of immunity, and neither the sheriffs nor the army would enter to seize the outlaw. But gradually the right of sanctuary was eroded. In 1486 sanctuary for the crime of treason was disallowed, and sanctuary for most other crimes was severely restricted by Henry VIII and later abolished. In the 1980s many U.S. churches provided sanctuary to political refugees from Central America, and the U.S. government mostly chose not to interfere. Today, wildlife sanctuaries provide protection for the species within its boundaries, and farm-animal sanctuaries now rescue livestock from abuse and starvation.

Examples of sanctuary in a Sentence

Noun The house was a sanctuary for runaway teens. The refugees found sanctuary when they crossed the border. The sanctuary contains the altar of sacrifice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Pink Elephant Calf Spotted in the Wild Playing with His Family Per the sanctuary's site, there are currently 12 elephant residents at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, with space to welcome more. Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 In addition to a wild bird sanctuary and bird rehabilitation center, Tavernier is also known for its recreational aquatic pursuits like snorkeling, fishing, and boating. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Sitting directly above the crystalline sea, the 10 villas are a true sanctuary. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2024 Within the 750-acre compound is a mango orchard as well as Vantara, Anant’s animal sanctuary. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 Trump had the endorsement of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and maintains popularity in northern California and Central Valley — red sanctuaries in a blue state. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 Montana Ducks Unlimited’s regional vice president Steve Christian, who lives in nearby Colstrip, explains how hunting these birds could actually get harder if access were opened up on the sanctuary. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 8 Mar. 2024 Even mentioning Palestine can be a provocation to those who cleave to the myth of Israel as the only possible Jewish sanctuary. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 The sanctuary grows wild and provides a mostly untouched natural habitat, meaning there's a lot to see and experience. Jen Guadarrama, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Mar. 2024
Adjective
New York City is also a sanctuary city, which limits the city's cooperation with the federal immigration authorities. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024 Although the term has no legal meaning, a sanctuary city usually provides safe harbor to migrants regardless of their immigration status, and declines to assist federal immigration officials in tracking them down. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2024 Galaz said sanctuary city policies make cities safer by ensuring that migrants are comfortable reporting crimes and acting as witnesses in criminal investigations without fear of deportation. Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 The 51-acre sanctuary houses zebras, African antelope, a giraffe, and more. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2024 Doesn't sound half-bad, huh? more on hilton head 02 of 15 Fripp Island Only three and a half miles long and about a half-mile wide, Fripp Island is a sanctuary worth seeing. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2024 The president should push ICE to ramp up deportations of criminals and pressure Democratic local officials to exempt criminals from sanctuary policies. Daniel Di Martino, National Review, 14 Feb. 2024 Of course, the hilltop sanctuary vibes and incredible views are also a huge draw—especially at night when the Kingston city lights sparkle below. Annie Daly, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2024 And while complaining about sanctuary cities is popular among those who don’t understand federalism or the separation of powers, here DeMaio is just complaining about policies which leave immigration matters to federal authorities so that local police can focus on enforcing state and local laws. The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sanctuary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English seintuarie, sanctuarie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin sanctuarium, from Latin sanctus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sanctuary was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sanctuary

Cite this Entry

“Sanctuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctuary. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sanctuary

noun
sanc·​tu·​ary ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce sanctuary (audio)
plural sanctuaries
1
: a holy or sacred place
2
: the most sacred part of a place of worship
3
: a building or room for religious worship
4
: a place that provides shelter or protection
a wildlife sanctuary
5
: protection provided by a sanctuary

More from Merriam-Webster on sanctuary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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