1
as in ports
a part of a body of water protected and deep enough to be a place of safety for ships
this picturesque cove is one of the most popular havens on all of the cape for weekend yachtsmen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in refuges
something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger
the cross-country skiers hoped desperately to find a cave, as a haven from the blizzard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of havens
Independent bookstores are magical havens for the next generation of readers—fostering a community that goes beyond the pages.
—
Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
Iran, alongside Russia and China, has mastered sanctions evasion, using shadow fleets, alternative payment systems, and loosely regulated financial havens to move capital beyond Western oversight.
—Gaurav Srivastava, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
One answer would be that the more savage the storm, the more urgent the need for safe havens.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Some areas of San Diego County are already Dark Sky havens, including Borrego Springs and Julian, which are both official Dark Sky Communities.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
Safe havens, which would typically sell-off in a de-escalation, also found support.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
Both are retirement havens that have attracted residents from the Front Range with lower living costs, and in the case of Grand Junction, a more temperate climate.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
When fear eases, the rush into safe havens tends to ease with it.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Vested with the responsibility of finding havens for some of the county’s most fragile, lonely people, often without relatives or those able to care for them, Hernandez has been accused of treating them like commodities.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
Iran, alongside Russia and China, has mastered sanctions evasion, using shadow fleets, alternative payment systems, and loosely regulated financial havens to move capital beyond Western oversight.
—Gaurav Srivastava, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
One answer would be that the more savage the storm, the more urgent the need for safe havens.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Some areas of San Diego County are already Dark Sky havens, including Borrego Springs and Julian, which are both official Dark Sky Communities.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
Safe havens, which would typically sell-off in a de-escalation, also found support.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
Both are retirement havens that have attracted residents from the Front Range with lower living costs, and in the case of Grand Junction, a more temperate climate.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
When fear eases, the rush into safe havens tends to ease with it.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Vested with the responsibility of finding havens for some of the county’s most fragile, lonely people, often without relatives or those able to care for them, Hernandez has been accused of treating them like commodities.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for havens
Noun
-
Both firms are keen to acquire the assets given the rarity of gaining exposure to more than 40 ports in a single deal, the people said.—
Shirley Zhao,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, while Washington has imposed a blockade of Iran's ports.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The park preserves not only the trees, but also one of the last salt marshes and waterfowl refuges in Southern California.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Cemeteries, in particular, may serve as critical refuges for pollinators at a time when many natural habitats are disappearing.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As for Mitan, the yacht will now spend seven to eight months cruising south towards Mexico, calling at multiple anchorages along the way.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Brilliant blue waves meet a sensational crescent of white sand at Salt Whistle Bay, one of the most stunning anchorages in the southeastern Caribbean.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The new law will prevent the state from placing children in unlicensed homes like shelters, hotels or offices.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
When experienced and motivated staff can continue to work in the homeless response system, more people are placed into housing and spend less time in shelters.—
David Rich,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cargo that would have moved through Dubai’s Jebel Ali — the Middle East’s most connected container port, which is now largely cut off from global freighters — is now entering through smaller harbors in Fujairah and Oman, then moving overland.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Itineraries include Alaska, the Mediterranean, Croatia’s secluded harbors and Asia-Pacific.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The rush to secure sites near key transmission lines for battery energy storage systems, or BESS, has led developers to places like Acton, California, a bucolic Los Angeles County town of horse ranches and animal sanctuaries.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Guests stay among 86 casitas, cozy sanctuaries with vibrant Mexican textiles and terra cotta tile floors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mammoth bluffs followed by last-minute retreats only deepened perceptions of inconsistency, further eroding deterrence.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Dubious precautions Mounting interest in the potential benefits of psychedelic drugs has led to a rise in psychedelic retreats around the world.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Havens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/havens. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
