Synonyms of sanctuaries

sanctuaries

noun

plural of sanctuary

1

as in shrines

a place that is considered sacred (as within a religion)

by law, anyone who sought refuge in a religious sanctuary was safe from arrest by the civil authorities

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shrines
• sanctums
• reliquaries
• martyries

2

as in refuges

something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger

the marshland has been set aside as a sanctuary for shorebirds along that section of the coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuges
• shelters
• retreats
• havens
• residences
• asylums
• sanctums
• harbors
• bolt-holes
• lodgings
• oases
• hideouts
• abodes
• harborages
• dwellings
• ports
• fortresses
• anchorages
• quarters
• strongholds
• houses
• domiciles
• habitations
• hideaways
• cloisters
• housings
• moorings
• screens
• dens
• roofs
• forts
• places
• hermitages
• rests
• lairs
• castles
• closets
• redoubts
• pads
• diggings
• coverts
• sheds
• palisades
• windbreaks
• covers
• lodgments
• lees
• lean-tos

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sanctuaries

In 2016, the Buenos Aires Zoo was transformed into an eco-park, removing animals from display and relocating many of them to sanctuaries. — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 13 July 2026

India’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have been home to several iconic Bengal tigers, many of them renowned for their massive size. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026

Pakistan says both the BLA and the Pakistani Taliban have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and receive support from India. — ABC News, 10 July 2026

The announcement also drew a mixed response from the Whale Sanctuary Project, an organization that advocates for seaside sanctuaries rather than traditional aquariums. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026

The state’s private waters are, in some ways, sanctuaries for the resource. — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026

Eco effort The resort is home to one of three turtle conservation sanctuaries in the Maldives, developed with Olive Ridley Project. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026

The islands are wildlife sanctuaries. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2026

As with most titles in the category, hallways become battlegrounds and bedrooms double as sanctuaries. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 June 2026