1
: an inviolable place of refuge and protection giving shelter to criminals and debtors : sanctuary
3
a
: the protection or security afforded by an asylum : refuge
b
: protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees by a nation or by an embassy or other agency enjoying freedom from what is required by law for most people
4
somewhat old-fashioned
: an institution providing care and protection to needy individuals (such as the infirm or destitute) and especially the mentally ill
Examples of asylum in a Sentence
She asked for political asylum.
She was granted asylum after it was made clear that she would be killed if she returned to her native country.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the other were the asylum doctors who experimented on patients’ bodies in hopes of finding a cure.
—
Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
His administration has frozen the processing of green cards, asylum applications, naturalization applications and work permits for Cuban nationals and people from several other countries.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
The family was granted asylum in February so they will not be affected by the Supreme Court decision.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Built in 1993 to accommodate more than 16,000 Israelis, the shelter found a new life during the Israel-Iran war as a public refuge for residents of Neve Shaanan, among Tel Aviv’s most diverse neighborhoods and one of its poorest, home mainly to asylum seekers and foreign workers.
—Theia Chatelle, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for asylum
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Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
His administration has frozen the processing of green cards, asylum applications, naturalization applications and work permits for Cuban nationals and people from several other countries.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
The family was granted asylum in February so they will not be affected by the Supreme Court decision.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Built in 1993 to accommodate more than 16,000 Israelis, the shelter found a new life during the Israel-Iran war as a public refuge for residents of Neve Shaanan, among Tel Aviv’s most diverse neighborhoods and one of its poorest, home mainly to asylum seekers and foreign workers.
—Theia Chatelle, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for asylum
Cite this Entry
“Asylum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asylum. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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Medical Definition
asylum
noun
asy·lum
ə-ˈsī-ləm 
: an institution providing care and protection to needy individuals (such as the infirm or destitute) and especially the mentally ill
Legal Definition
asylum
noun
asy·lum
ə-ˈsī-ləm
: protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees by a nation or by an embassy or other agency that has diplomatic immunity
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