plural asylums
1
: protection given by a government to someone who has left another country in order to escape being harmed
She asked for political asylum.
She was granted asylum after it was made clear that she would be killed if she returned to her native country.
asylum seekers
2
old-fashioned
: a hospital where people who are mentally ill are cared for especially for long periods of time : a mental hospital
Cite this Entry
“Asylum.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/asylum. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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