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as in shrine
a place that is considered sacred (as within a religion) the city of Jerusalem is an important sanctum for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sanctum One he’s visibly enhanced … through a path and a way on display in his sanctum adjoining the cathedral. Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2024 Nowhere is the balance of pampering and peacefulness more apparent than the spa, a sanctum of holistic self-care capable of transforming even the most tightly wound traveler into a Zen master. Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2024 Entrance to this particular sanctum, christened Map & Flag in a nod to the Masters’s storied logo, runs $17,000 per person for the week of golf’s first major tournament. Kevin Draper Doug Mills, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024 Stepping outside the sanctum of the dining room is like being released from a spell. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2023 See All Example Sentences for sanctum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctum
Noun
  • For all the shortcomings in this nationwide effort, most Germans today set an example of remorse that shames Turkish nationalist leaders equivocating about the Armenian genocide, or rightist Japanese politicians visiting the Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo that honors Class A war criminals.
    Gary J. Bass, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Villagers plundered the shrine and sold the bronzes to antiquities dealers like Robert Hecht, who faced allegations of smuggling before his death in 2012.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Many have sought refuge in sprawling outdoor areas, living for months in makeshift tents made of cloth and nylon – with little access to warmth, electricity or heating.
    Kareem Khadder, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Nomadic Bedouin tribes have long sought temporary refuge in the city.
    Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Thanks to pumping rights off the Murray River, a continuous flow of water keeps this green sanctuary sparkling against the rugged Australian backdrop.
    Natalie Hoberman, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
  • More than 200 visitors slowly filled the sanctuary, and at 7:30 Hanna addressed the audience, beginning with her gratitude for the use of the church and closing in appreciation of the many who had helped make the evening possible.
    Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Fun fact: The building doubled as a bomb shelter during the Cold War, said Moletz.
    Ryan Deto, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Adams said the hotel necessitated being converted into a shelter since around 4,000 migrants were arriving in the city per week at the height of the crisis.
    Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The retreat by the nation’s powerful business lobby shows how dramatically corporate America has shifted in less than five years, said Daniel Kinderman, a political science professor at the University of Delaware who studied the initiative.
    Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
  • In his first couple decades in New Mexico, Hackman was often seen around the historic state capital, known as an artist enclave, tourism destination and retreat for celebrities.
    SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sanctum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctum. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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