sanctuary

1 of 2

noun

sanc·tu·ary ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē

plural sanctuaries

Synonyms of sanctuary next

: a consecrated place: such as

: the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies

b(1)

: the most sacred part of a religious building (such as the part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed)

(2)

: the room in which general worship services are held

(3)

: a place (such as a church or a temple) for worship

a(1)

: a place of refuge and protection

(2)

: a refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal

: the immunity from law attached to a sanctuary

sanctuary

2 of 2

adjective

: relating to or being a locality that provides limited cooperation to federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws or policies

a sanctuary jurisdiction

sanctuary policies

… the executive order … designed to crack down on so-called "sanctuary cities," municipalities that do not comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement … requests for assistance with identifying and deporting undocumented immigrants.—

Euan McKirdy

Did you know?

Historically, churches have been places where fugitives could seek at least temporary protection from the law. In Anglo-Saxon England, churches and churchyards generally provided 40 days of immunity, and neither the sheriffs nor the army would enter to seize the outlaw. But gradually the right of sanctuary was eroded. In 1486 sanctuary for the crime of treason was disallowed, and sanctuary for most other crimes was severely restricted by Henry VIII and later abolished. In the 1980s many U.S. churches provided sanctuary to political refugees from Central America, and the U.S. government mostly chose not to interfere. Today, wildlife sanctuaries provide protection for the species within its boundaries, and farm-animal sanctuaries now rescue livestock from abuse and starvation.

Examples of sanctuary in a Sentence

Noun The house was a sanctuary for runaway teens. The refugees found sanctuary when they crossed the border. The sanctuary contains the altar of sacrifice.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Noun

The lionesses were first evacuated from an area in Eastern Ukraine affected by heavy shelling in 2022 and moved to an animal sanctuary in Belgium after traveling through Kyiv and Poland. —

Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024 The nonprofit animal sanctuary is located on their 200-acre property in Pine City. —

Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 13 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Prominent sanctuary cities include New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Boston. —

Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2024 Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston are among a growing list of sanctuary cities passing ordinances and vowing not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. —

Kristine Frazao, Baltimore Sun, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sanctuary

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English seintuarie, sanctuarie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin sanctuarium, from Latin sanctus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sanctuary was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sanctuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctuary. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

sanctuary

noun

sanc·tu·ary ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē

plural sanctuaries

: a holy or sacred place

: the most sacred part of a place of worship

: a building or room for religious worship

: a place that provides shelter or protection

a wildlife sanctuary

: protection provided by a sanctuary

Last Updated: 29 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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sanctuary

noun

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Examples of sanctuary in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near sanctuary

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition