refuge

1 of 2

noun

ref·​uge ˈre-(ˌ)fyüj 

 also  -(ˌ)fyüzh

1

: shelter or protection from danger or distress

2

: a place that provides shelter or protection

3

: something to which one has recourse in difficulty

refuge

2 of 2

verb

refuged; refuging

transitive verb

: to give refuge to

intransitive verb

: to seek or take refuge

Did you know?

Finding Refuge

The re- in refuge means basically "back" or "backward" rather than "again;" thus, a refugee is someone who is "fleeing backward". Refuge tends to appear with certain other words: you generally "seek refuge", "take refuge", or "find refuge". Religion may be a refuge from the woes of your life; a beautiful park may be a refuge from the noise of the city; and your bedroom may be a refuge from the madness of your family.

Synonyms

Noun

• asylum
• bolt-hole [chiefly British]
• harbor
• harborage
• haven
• retreat
• sanctuary
• sanctum
• shelter

Verb

• harbor
• shelter

Examples of refuge in a Sentence

Noun

hunting is strictly forbidden in the wildlife refuge

Verb

a nation with a long, honorable history of refuging political asylum seekers

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

By securing vital ecosystems within these zones, conservationists aim to provide the saola with a safe refuge, free from human interference. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

For example, mobile refuge rooms by the nonprofit and real estate collective Designing Justice + Designing Spaces presents 10-by-10-foot, modular transitional units for people leaving prison, meant to be clustered in a communal environment. —Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

Her students were in their own difficult circumstances, too – seeking refuge away from their homes, some in other countries. —Kristina Hook, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2023

Conservationists, refuge biologists and Pacific Foods, a local business, came up with an ambitious plan to remove the carp, truck them to nearby Burns, and process them into fertilizer. —April Reese, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2016

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin refugium, from refugere to escape, from re- + fugere to flee — more at fugitive

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1594, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing refuge

• place of refuge
• take/find/seek refuge

Kids Definition

refuge

noun

ref·​uge

ˈref-ˌyüj

1

: shelter or protection from danger or distress

2

: a place that provides shelter or protection

wildlife refuges