1
as in shrines
a place that is considered sacred (as within a religion)
by law, anyone who sought refuge in a religious sanctuary was safe from arrest by the civil authorities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in refuges
something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger
the marshland has been set aside as a sanctuary for shorebirds along that section of the coast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sanctuaries
The decision to inaugurate the first urban Six Senses property in Rome was partially driven by the owner’s love of all things Italian and is part of a new drive to bring sanctuaries to bigger cities.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
That brightening would affect the entire planet, including remote locations that are now considered dark sky sanctuaries, where astronomers build their sky-observing machines.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The immediate trigger lies in Pakistan’s growing concern over cross-border militant activity, particularly from groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which Islamabad believes operate from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.
—Rabia Akhtar, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
Best International Hotels Global sanctuaries from Bali to Belize designed to anchor you in nature.
—The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Offshore trusts were marketed as quiet sanctuaries, insulated by geography and confidentiality statutes.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Spend your weekend by the waves, savoring fresh seafood and exploring the area’s wildlife sanctuaries.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Straddling the rugged mountains between the states of Mexico and Michoacán, the 138,000-acre reserve has around a half dozen public, community-run sanctuaries within its borders and in its buffer zones.
—Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
About 500 condors now call breeding centers and the skies over wildland sanctuaries home.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
That brightening would affect the entire planet, including remote locations that are now considered dark sky sanctuaries, where astronomers build their sky-observing machines.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The immediate trigger lies in Pakistan’s growing concern over cross-border militant activity, particularly from groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which Islamabad believes operate from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.
—Rabia Akhtar, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
Best International Hotels Global sanctuaries from Bali to Belize designed to anchor you in nature.
—The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Offshore trusts were marketed as quiet sanctuaries, insulated by geography and confidentiality statutes.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Spend your weekend by the waves, savoring fresh seafood and exploring the area’s wildlife sanctuaries.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Straddling the rugged mountains between the states of Mexico and Michoacán, the 138,000-acre reserve has around a half dozen public, community-run sanctuaries within its borders and in its buffer zones.
—Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
About 500 condors now call breeding centers and the skies over wildland sanctuaries home.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctuaries
Noun
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Less celebrated for its green spaces than Kyoto, Tokyo still has an impressive number of parks that are well worth visiting, many attached to venerable temples and shrines.—
Stephen Kelly,
TheWeek,
26 Mar. 2026
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Many are used as shrines for meditation and rituals and are visited by tourists and pilgrims.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Why perpetuate this problem in city parks — our best refuges from the danger, noise and congestion of city streets?—
Jon Orcutt,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
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Aire Ancient Baths A subterranean theater of candlelit pools and vaulted brick, Aire remains one of the city’s few strictly phone-and-camera-free refuges.—
Amy Louise Bailey,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Unlike traditional shelters, there are few restrictions on who can live there.—
Emily Bollinger,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
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In the meantime, the city stopped enrolling new families in its motel shelters on March 1.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But unlike at some jungle retreats, which demand a certain ability to rough it, even the most spider-averse will feel at home here—kids in particular.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Dozens of people who have participated in retreats in the US and abroad responded to a CNN callout about psilocybin retreats.—
Natalia V. Osipova,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For Gulf economies, being dollar-pegged remains a major risk on the inflation front, Iqbal said, adding that traditional safe havens — namely gold — have displayed characteristics more akin to a risk asset, shaped by the strengthening dollar and rising interest rate expectations.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
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New York — The war in Iran and the spike in energy prices have rattled global markets, impacting not just stocks but also safe havens like bonds, gold and currencies.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sanctuaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctuaries. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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