refuge

[ref-yooj] / ˈrɛf yudʒ /

NOUN

place to hide, have privacy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

asylum fortress haven hideaway hideout hiding place protection resort retreat sanctuary security shelter stronghold

STRONG

ambush anchorage cover covert den escape exit expedient harbor harborage hole home immunity makeshift opening outlet port preserve recourse resource shield stopgap

WEAK

ivory tower safe place way-out

Antonyms

STRONG

closure entrance permanent solid

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Both locations served as a particular kind of refuge, places where I came to new understandings and occasional epiphanies.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

"These systems can provide refuge for marine species, improve water quality and help rebuild biodiversity in some of our most impacted coastal areas."

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

That same evening, panicked residents of Tehran tried to flee north to the shores of the Caspian Sea, where many had sought refuge during the very first days of the war.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Scientists believe these early cephalopods found refuge in small, oxygen-rich pockets of the deep ocean.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Powell’s had always been her private hideaway, her refuge.

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

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