sanctums

variants also sancta
Definition of sanctumsnext
plural of sanctum
1
as in shrines
a place that is considered sacred (as within a religion) the city of Jerusalem is an important sanctum for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike

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 sanctums By then, Israeli intelligence had planted a bomb in a Revolutionary Guards guest house that, in addition to killing the political leader of Hamas in Gaza, also demonstrated its ability to penetrate the innermost sanctums of the Iranian regime. Richard Hall, Time, 28 Feb. 2026 His primary qualification for infiltrating the innermost sanctums of Trumpworld would seem to be a vast capacity for cozying up to friends of the Donald. Chris Lee, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026 The 17 suites of the new hotel are similarly minimalist sanctums made of polished concrete and dark wood, tucked away in a wilderness fantasia and connected to a main building where guests congregate around an infinity pool and elegant restaurant. David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctums
Noun
  • Kyoto has some 2,000 shrines and temples.
    Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The concierge specializes in Kyoto’s cultural events, and can help access exclusive ochaya with an interpreter, score tickets to the theater, book dinner reservations, a huge help in Kyoto, or help arrange meetings with monks and priests at the city’s Shinto shrines and temples.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
  • Scorcio has researched sanctuaries and has mixed feelings about them, noting that tortoises are monogamous and mate for life.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
  • As part of this act of atonement, four bulls and four heifers are slaughtered at the sanctuaries of the nymphs, and their bodies are left in a grove.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Since the pandemic, South Florida’s housing crisis has only exacerbated the issue at already overwhelmed animal shelters.
    Amanda Rosa April 9, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
  • There's shelters, there's places all the time giving away dogs.
    Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Some Singaporean businesses run offshore manufacturing operations in Batam, while others send staff to the island for meetings or corporate retreats, Tan said.
    Sydney Goh, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026
  • That total wasn’t built on epic reading binges or monastic retreats.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Safe havens, which would typically sell-off in a de-escalation, also found support.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Both are retirement havens that have attracted residents from the Front Range with lower living costs, and in the case of Grand Junction, a more temperate climate.
    Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Investigators said the suspects conducted extensive surveillance, using GPS trackers to monitor victims’ movements and cameras to watch their residences.
    Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Plans feature a blend of housing types, affordable and market-rate, and industrial space aimed at creating approximately 1,000 jobs and 1,000 residences.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sanctums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctums. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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