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Word

asylum

noun C1
/əˈsaɪləm/

Meanings

noun

legal protection granted by a country to someone who has fled persecution or danger

asylum: legal protection granted by a country to someone who has fled persecution or danger
noun

a safe place or shelter from danger, trouble, or stress

asylum: a safe place or shelter from danger, trouble, or stress
noun

an institution where people with severe mental illness were historically housed and treated

asylum: an institution where people with severe mental illness were historically housed and treated

Definition

Asylum is protection given by a country to someone who has fled danger or persecution elsewhere.

Asylum is legal protection offered by a country to a person who cannot safely return to their home country. People usually seek it because they fear persecution or serious harm. The word is also used more generally to mean a safe place or shelter. In modern English, it can refer historically to psychiatric institutions, though that meaning is less common in everyday use.

Examples

  • After months of threats, she applied for asylum when she arrived at the border.
  • The journalist sought asylum abroad after his reporting put him in immediate danger at home.
  • They were granted asylum and began rebuilding their lives in a new city.
  • In the countryside, he found asylum from the constant noise and pressure of the capital.
  • The novel portrays a crumbling asylum that reflects the era’s harsh attitudes to mental health care.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse asylum (protection) with sanctuary (a safe place), using asylum when they mean a peaceful refuge rather than legal status.

More at C1 level

More nouns