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View synonyms for

asylum

[ uh-sahy-luhm ]

noun

  1. (especially formerly) an institution for the maintenance and care of the mentally ill, orphans, or other persons requiring specialized assistance.
  2. an inviolable refuge, as formerly for criminals and debtors; sanctuary:

    He sought asylum in the church.

    Synonyms: , ,

  3. International Law.
    1. a refuge granted an alien by a sovereign state on its own territory.
    2. a temporary refuge granted political offenders, especially in a foreign embassy.
  4. any secure retreat.


asylum

/ əˈɪə /

noun

  1. a safe or inviolable place of refuge, esp as formerly offered by the Christian Church to criminals, outlaws, etc; sanctuary (often in the phrase give asylum to )
  2. shelter; refuge
  3. international law refuge afforded to a person whose extradition is sought by a foreign government

    political asylum

  4. obsolete.
    an institution for the shelter, treatment, or confinement of individuals, esp a mental hospital (formerly termed lunatic asylum )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of asylum1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin, from Greek á̄Dz “sanctuary,” from a- a- 6 + ŷDz “right of seizure”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of asylum1

C15: via Latin from Greek asulon refuge, from asulos that may not be seized, from a- 1+ sulon right of seizure
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Newsom has advocated for the return of one asylum seeker who was sent, without charge or trial, to spend the rest of his life in a Salvadoran hellscape.

From

The processing of asylum claims for the thousands of Syrians in the UK was paused in December, with the Home Office saying it was assessing the situation following the fall of Assad.

From

Patients with urgent dental problems can be treated under the Dental Access Scheme, which was set up for unregistered patients, asylum seekers and refugees.

From

One of the judges fired was in the middle of an asylum hearing and received notice via email and had to abruptly leave the proceedings, the letter stated.

From

More than 900,000 people were paroled into the country under that program, though with asylum and other legal pathways, it’s unclear how many parole beneficiaries are affected by the Trump administration’s action.

From

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asyllabicasylum seeker