C1 verb Formal

asylum

/əˈsaɪ.ləm/

Asylum refers to the protection and safety granted by a nation to someone who has left their native country as a political refugee. It can also historically refer to an institution providing care for people with mental illnesses or those requiring specialized assistance.

Examples

3 of 5
1

The family decided to seek asylum in Canada after the conflict broke out.

The family looked for legal protection and a safe home in Canada following the war.

2

The government is required by international law to process all claims for political asylum.

The state must legally evaluate all requests for protection based on political persecution.

3

He's hoping they'll give him asylum so he doesn't have to go back.

He is wishing for legal safety to avoid returning to his country.

Word Family

Noun
asylum
Related
asylum seeker
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Memory Tip

Think of 'A Safe LUMinous' place. Also, remember the Greek 'a-' (not) + 'syle' (seizure), meaning a place where you cannot be seized.

Quick Quiz

After the coup, the journalist fled to the neighboring country to ask for political _______.

Correct!

The correct answer is: asylum

Examples

1

The family decided to seek asylum in Canada after the conflict broke out.

everyday

The family looked for legal protection and a safe home in Canada following the war.

2

The government is required by international law to process all claims for political asylum.

formal

The state must legally evaluate all requests for protection based on political persecution.

3

He's hoping they'll give him asylum so he doesn't have to go back.

informal

He is wishing for legal safety to avoid returning to his country.

4

The 1951 Refugee Convention established the fundamental principles regarding the granting of territorial asylum.

academic

The legal document from 1951 defined the rules for providing safety within a country's borders.

5

The law firm specializes in complex asylum cases involving high-profile whistleblowers.

business

The legal office works on difficult protection cases for famous informants.

Word Family

Noun
asylum
Related
asylum seeker

Common Collocations

seek asylum to request protection from another country
grant asylum to officially give someone protection
political asylum protection given to someone for political reasons
asylum seeker a person looking for protection in another country
right of asylum the legal entitlement to be protected by a state

Common Phrases

apply for asylum

to formally ask a government for protection

territorial asylum

protection granted within the physical borders of a state

insane asylum

a dated and often offensive term for a psychiatric hospital

Often Confused With

asylum vs sanctuary

Sanctuary is a general place of safety, whereas asylum is a specific legal status granted by a government.

asylum vs refuge

Refuge is the condition of being safe from pursuit, while asylum is the formal protection of a political refugee.

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Usage Notes

In modern English, 'asylum' is almost exclusively used in a legal and political context regarding refugees. Avoid using the word to refer to mental health facilities unless discussing historical contexts, as it is now considered archaic and stigmatizing.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often use 'asylum' to refer to the person (the refugee), but 'asylum' is the protection itself; the person is an 'asylum seeker'.

💡

Memory Tip

Think of 'A Safe LUMinous' place. Also, remember the Greek 'a-' (not) + 'syle' (seizure), meaning a place where you cannot be seized.

📖

Word Origin

Derived from the Greek 'asylon', meaning 'inviolable' or 'a place safe from seizure'.

Grammar Patterns

Uncountable noun when referring to the legal concept of protection. Countable noun when referring to specific historical institutions. Commonly follows verbs like 'seek', 'grant', or 'deny'.
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Cultural Context

The concept of asylum dates back to ancient religious traditions where temples provided 'sanctuary' to those fleeing punishment.

Quick Quiz

After the coup, the journalist fled to the neighboring country to ask for political _______.

Correct!

The correct answer is: asylum

Related Words

unvolsion

C1

The process of deliberately detaching or withdrawing from a state of complex entanglement or involvement, often within social or systemic structures. It describes a conscious reversal of 'involution,' where one seeks to simplify or exit a convoluted situation.

circumpugible

C1

To systematically encircle and attack or challenge a target from all possible directions. This verb is often used to describe strategic military maneuvers or intense rhetorical debates where an opponent is overwhelmed from every side.

semidocable

C1

A semidocable is a technical component or data unit that possesses limited or conditional compatibility with a primary docking system or documentation framework. It typically designates an item that requires secondary manual verification or a specialized adapter to achieve full functional integration.

postgradism

C1

Postgradism refers to the sociocultural condition, mindset, or lifestyle associated with being a postgraduate student. It often describes the immersive academic environment or the tendency for individuals to remain in higher education for an extended period after completing their initial degree.

inurbtude

C1

To cause a person to lose their refined or sophisticated manners, typically by subjecting them to a rough or unpolished environment. It describes the process of becoming inurbane, socially coarse, or lacking in city-bred civility.

hypermaterness

C1

Characterized by or relating to an extreme, often overbearing state of maternal instinct and overprotectiveness. This term is used to describe a level of mothering that exceeds typical boundaries, potentially stifling the independence of the child.

decedance

C1

Characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline, often associated with excessive indulgence in luxury, pleasure, or self-gratification. In modern contexts, it frequently describes things that are luxuriously rich or self-indulgent to the point of being excessive.

tricentcide

C1

Describing an act, event, or substance that results in the destruction or death of exactly three hundred distinct entities or individuals. It is also used in theoretical historical contexts to describe the catastrophic end of a three-hundred-year cycle or era.

autofugdom

C1

Describing a state of self-imposed isolation or the psychological condition of fleeing from one's own identity or social responsibilities. It characterizes a person or behavior focused on internal withdrawal and the avoidance of external reality to preserve a sense of self.

inplication

C1

To show that someone or something is involved in a crime, a scandal, or an undesirable situation. It can also refer to demonstrating that something is a contributing factor or cause of a specific outcome, typically a negative one.

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