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.

Leaving the refuge, the vibrant color palette and moisture give way to muted browns and the returning austerity of desert air.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

But we aren’t a refuge for those unwilling to do the hard work of reforming their own states.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

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

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

"It also means that person must have refuge, they must have the support services when they decide to leave."

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

From that night on Aureliano took refuge in the compassionate tenderness and understanding of his unknown great-great-grandmother.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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