noun
safe haven
sayf HAY-vuhn
Safe haven (noun) means a place where someone threatened, frightened or persecuted can go and be protected from harm. Example: “The shelter offers a safe haven for women leaving violent partners.”
noun
1
A place where someone threatened, frightened or persecuted can go and be protected from harm.
"The shelter offers a safe haven for women leaving violent partners."
"The city became a safe haven for refugees crossing the border."
2
finance An investment expected to hold or gain value when markets fall, such as gold, government bonds or a strong currency.
"Investors piled into gold as a safe haven after the crash."
"The franc has long been treated as a safe haven currency."
3
US, legal Under safe haven laws in the United States, a designated place such as a hospital or fire station where a parent may legally surrender a newborn baby anonymously.
"The baby was left at a fire station under the state's safe haven law."
How to use safe haven
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomewhere you can go to be safe.
When to use it
Neutral; equally at home in humanitarian, legal and financial writing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
provide a safe haven
safe haven for refugees
safe haven asset
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The shelter offers a _____ for women leaving violent partners.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
risk asset
Related words
Rhymes for safe haven
See all rhymes for safe haven →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a safe haven and a sanctuary?
A safe haven is defined by the protection it gives from a specific threat, and can be temporary. Sanctuary carries an older sense of a protected, often sacred or legally recognised place, and suggests the pursuer cannot follow you in.
Why is gold called a safe haven?
Because it is not tied to any one government or company's fortunes, so investors buy it when shares and currencies look shaky. The label describes expected behaviour in a crisis, not a guarantee, and safe haven assets can still lose value.
Is safe haven one word or two?
Two words in normal use. As a modifier before a noun it is often hyphenated: a safe-haven currency.
What is the meaning of safe haven?
"safe haven" (noun) means a place where someone threatened, frightened or persecuted can go and be protected from harm.
