noun
Common
asylum
uh-SEYE-luhm
Asylum (noun) means Protection given by a country to someone fleeing danger or persecution in their own country. Example: “Many families travel long distances to claim asylum in a safer country.”
noun
1
Protection given by a country to someone fleeing danger or persecution in their own country.
"Many families travel long distances to claim asylum in a safer country."
"She applied for asylum after fleeing the civil war."
"The government granted him political asylum."
2
A place of safety or refuge.
"The quiet library was an asylum from the noise of the city."
"Monks offered the travellers asylum during the terrible storm."
"The old chapel became an asylum for anyone in trouble."
3
(dated) An institution for the care of people with mental illness.
"The abandoned asylum on the hill is now a block of flats."
"Novels from that era often feature an asylum as a frightening setting."
"In the 19th century many patients were confined to asylums with little real treatment."
How to use asylum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSafety and shelter given to someone fleeing danger — or, in older usage, an institution that housed the mentally ill.
Common mistake
The "mental hospital" sense is now dated and can sound insensitive; "psychiatric hospital" is the modern term.
Common pairings
seek asylum
grant asylum
asylum seeker
political asylum
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like asylum.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- asylums, asyla
- Third person singular
- asylums
- Past tense
- asylumed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Many families travel long distances to claim _____ in a safer country.
Etymology
From Latin asylum, from Ancient Greek asylon ("sanctuary, refuge"), literally "not subject to seizure."
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “asylum” mean?
The word “asylum” means protection given by a country to someone fleeing danger or persecution in their own country. In plain terms, safety and shelter given to someone fleeing danger — or, in older usage, an institution that housed the mentally ill.
How do you pronounce “asylum”?
“Asylum” is pronounced uh-SEYE-luhm (/əˈsaɪləm/ in IPA).
How do you use “asylum” in a sentence?
Here is “asylum” used in a sentence: “She applied for asylum after fleeing the civil war.”
What is another word for “asylum”?
Words with a similar meaning to “asylum” include sanctuary and shelter.
What part of speech is “asylum”?
“Asylum” is a noun.
Where does the word “asylum” come from?
The word “asylum” comes from Ancient Greek. From Latin asylum, from Ancient Greek asylon ("sanctuary, refuge"), literally "not subject to seizure.".
Is “asylum” a common word?
“Asylum” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “asylum” have?
“Asylum” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: protection given by a country to someone fleeing danger or persecution in their own country.
What is the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee?
An asylum seeker is someone who has asked a country for protection and is waiting for a decision on that claim. A refugee is someone whose need for protection has been formally recognised. In everyday terms, seeking asylum is the process, and refugee status is one possible outcome.
Is it "seek asylum," "claim asylum," or "apply for asylum"?
All three are standard. Seek asylum is the most general, claim asylum is especially common in British English, and apply for asylum emphasises the formal procedure. The country then grants or refuses asylum.
What is the difference between asylum and sanctuary?
Both can mean a place of safety or refuge, but asylum has a specific legal sense: protection a country gives to people fleeing danger or persecution in their own country. Sanctuary leans towards physical places of shelter — historically churches, and today also wildlife reserves — while asylum dominates in immigration contexts.
Why were psychiatric hospitals called asylums?
The dated institutional sense grew out of the word's broader meaning of a place of safety or refuge: such institutions were conceived as places of shelter and care for people with mental illness. That use is now considered outdated, and modern usage prefers terms like psychiatric hospital.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include asylum:
