Definition of sanctuarynext
1
as in shrine
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sanctuary The administration last year eliminated a policy against immigration enforcement in sanctuaries, which other religious leaders said should not occur at any time. Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026 Unlike a pig sanctuary or farm where abandoned or abused pigs live out their last days, the group is focused on rescuing, fostering and finding permanent families for pigs. Kansas City Star, 10 May 2026 The administration last year eliminated a policy against immigration enforcement in sanctuaries, which other religious leaders said should not occur at any time. ABC News, 9 May 2026 Holly Mazur is the founder and president of Lew Dog Gives, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting animal rescues, sanctuaries and shelters. Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 9 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sanctuary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctuary
Noun
  • On the wall behind was the shrine’s central altar, bronze doors open on either side.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
  • The date marks the day in 1876, when the cornerstone for a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Pompeii was laid.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • Velasco said families have fled to nearby towns, where many now take refuge in a soccer field.
    Megan Janetsky, Fortune, 10 May 2026
  • For many, getting those resources meant seeking refuge away from Grizzly Flats.
    Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • Though many people come to far West Texas for its isolation—the Unabomber’s slightly less reclusive brother did a stint here in the eighties, living at first in a crude underground shelter—Miller said that immigration-enforcement agents have been an intrusive presence for many years.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • Newborns in incubators were transferred and doctors and nurses scrambled to find shelter amid fears the hospital would become the next casualty in Haiti’s escalating gang wars.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Popular experiences include sauna and hydrotherapy bathhouses such as Soak Bathhouse and Sense Of Self, luxury spa retreats like Alba in the Mornington Peninsula and clinical skin treatments at specialist clinics in Sydney and Melbourne.
    Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
  • Of course, no lakeside retreat is complete without evening s'mores, which are complimentary for resort guests.
    Megan duBois, USA Today, 13 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sanctuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctuary. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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