1. protection given by a country to someone who has left their own country as a political refugee
2. a place of safety or shelter
3. a hospital for people with mental illness
Usage: dated

Examples

• The journalist sought asylum in the embassy after fleeing his home country.
• She applied for political asylum in the United States.
• The church provided asylum to refugees during the war.
• Many immigrants are denied asylum and must return home.
• The old asylum was converted into apartments in the 1980s.
• He found asylum from the storm in a small cabin.
• The government granted asylum to the persecuted minority group.