as in refuge
something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger
her cottage in the Lake District served as her bolt-hole whenever the stresses of London became too great
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Recent Examples of bolt-hole
His magical renovation of Villa Mabrouka—the late Yves Saint Laurent's Tangier bolt-hole, with a Slim Aarons–worthy kidney-bean pool just outside the casbah—is as immaculately dressed down as an insouciant white linen shirt.
—
Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Around that time, some smaller properties also debuted — boutique charmers like Castello di Vicarello, Borgo Santo Pietro, Villa Fontelunga, and the Val d'Orcia bolt-hole La Bandita Country Hotel.
—Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2023
Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Around that time, some smaller properties also debuted — boutique charmers like Castello di Vicarello, Borgo Santo Pietro, Villa Fontelunga, and the Val d'Orcia bolt-hole La Bandita Country Hotel.
—Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolt-hole
Noun
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Generations of Coloradans will see their stories here and imagine the days when legendary Black actors and authors sought refuge in Lincoln Hills.—
Anna Alejo,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
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The city is also expanding its efforts to open up new places in which people can take refuge, according to Mamdani.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rooms feel like a cozy meditative retreat precisely because the communal spaces pulse with vibrant NYC energy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
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Schoen, owner of the Paradise River Bend wedding venue and vacation rental property, often visits what was once a pristine retreat across the road from his cabins, surrounded by trees and nestled along the usually tranquil Guadalupe River.—
Abrielle Kate Maddison,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Gertie, a female boxer-mix, was found by a partner shelter in Tulare after she had been dropped off on the side of the road with serious injuries.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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The gala, the organization’s biggest fundraiser, helps fund counseling, advocacy and emergency shelter for individuals and families who are survivors of domestic violence.—
Melinda Moore,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In terms of affordability and reliability, consider IKEA your sanctuary.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
9 Feb. 2026
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Parents and community members spoke about the trauma caused if armed and masked immigration agents enter schools — an environment that should be a sanctuary for learning, not a stage for political terror.—
Randy Linville,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The state hosting the Super Bowl this year, California, is not one of those legal safe havens for sports gambling.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Conversely, bitcoin has often traded down alongside other risk-on assets such as equities amid periods of high macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, raising doubts about its utility as a safe haven.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bolt-hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolt-hole. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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