Word
asylum
Phoneticsasy·lum
US/əˈsaɪɫəm/
UK/ɐsˈaɪləm/
Definitions
01legal protection
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law
n. the protection a country gives to someone who has left their own country because they were in danger.
n. the legal and physical protection granted by a state to a foreign citizen who is a political refugee.
“The family moved across the border to seek asylum from the war.”
“The government granted her political asylum after she provided evidence that her life was in imminent danger in her home country.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'seek', 'grant', or 'claim'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02a safe place
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a place where you can go to be safe from trouble or danger.
n. a place of retreat, safety, or sanctuary from pursuit or hardship.
“The quiet library was his asylum from the noisy city streets.”
“For the weary traveller, the mountain monastery served as a peaceful asylum from the chaos of the civil unrest below.”
Teaching tip
In modern English, this general sense of 'safety' is often replaced by 'sanctuary' or 'haven' to avoid confusion with the legal or historical senses.
03historical hospital
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Archaic
n. an old word for a hospital where people with mental illnesses were kept.
n. an institution for the care and often restraint of the mentally ill or destitute.
“The old stone building used to be an asylum for the poor.”
“Nineteenth-century reformers worked to improve the grim conditions found in the county's largest lunatic asylum.”
Teaching tip
This sense is now considered offensive or dated; modern speakers use 'psychiatric hospital' or 'mental health facility'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “asylum” in context.
Verb
01. apply for asylum
“He had to apply for asylum immediately upon arriving at the international airport.”
verb + prep + noun
02. grant asylum
“The government decided to grant asylum to the political activists fleeing the regime.”
verb + noun
03. seek asylum
“Thousands of refugees cross the border every month to seek asylum from the ongoing conflict.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. permanent asylum
“After years of living in uncertainty, the family was finally offered permanent asylum.”
adj + noun
05. political asylum
“The journalist was forced to request political asylum after receiving numerous death threats.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. asylum seeker
“The new legislation aims to provide better housing facilities for every asylum seeker.”
noun + noun
07. right of asylum
“The right of asylum is a fundamental principle of international human rights law.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. claim for asylum
“The authorities are currently processing her claim for asylum, which may take several months.”
noun + prep
09. asylum seekers
Real-World Examples
“On Sunday, hundreds of migrants staged a protest on a popular urban beach, urging Spanish authorities to grant them asylum instead of sending them back to Morocco.” “We still have to wait for a final decision.”
Their lawyer, who requested not to be named for security reasons, hopes they will be granted asylum soon.” Etymology
From Latin asylum, from Ancient Greek ἄσυλον (ásulon).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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