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as in refuge
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 sanctuary
The sanctuary's goats also help clear invasive plants and brush across Rhode Island during warmer months.
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Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 6 Jan. 2026
Gibson recounts the trajectory of Palmares as just one part of a much longer history of people seeking freedom and sanctuary in the midst of colonial societies.
—Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Play around with burgundy, pink, blue, black, browns, and whites to create a bedding sanctuary that’s all yours.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Jan. 2026
The Methodist community moved into the area that later became the sanctuary for the Oak Lawn Methodist Church in 1874, according to The Dallas Morning News archives.
—Timia Cobb
breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanctuary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctuary
Noun
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Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest in Shiite Islam, making the protests there carry heavy significance for the country's theocracy.—
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The most senior camellia in the world is 1,400 years old and is located in Japan at a Shinto shrine, while the oldest azaleas, also in Japan, are more than 800 years old and are found in samurai gardens.—
Noun
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Sosa Rojas first fled persecution in Venezuela in 2014, seeking refuge with his family in Colombia, where his wife was born.—
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The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.—
Noun
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If no shelter is available avoid trees, power lines, and the side of the road.—
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Palestinians are spending their third winter displaced, said Sam Rose, acting director of Gaza affairs at UNRWA, adding that insufficient items for shelter had entered the enclave.—
Noun
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Wellness-Centric Bathrooms Design trends over the last few years have positioned the bathroom as a personal retreat and sanctuary.—
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The Nordic – Charlestown, Rhode Island What began as a family-run vacation retreat in the 1960s has evolved into one of America’s most talked-about luxury buffets.—
Cite this Entry
“Sanctuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctuary. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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