noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈɹɛfjuːd͡ʒ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R EH1 F Y UW0 JH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A state of safety, protection or shelter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A place providing safety, protection or shelter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Something or someone turned to for safety or assistance; a recourse or resort.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An expedient to secure protection or defence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A refuge island.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A kind of daily prayer or recitation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: Buddhism, lifestyle, religion
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To return to a place of shelter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To shelter; to protect.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
act of turning to for assistance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
have recourse to the courts
an appeal to his uncle was his last resort
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: recourse, resort
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: aid, assist, assistance, help
10
noun
Meaning 10
a shelter from danger or hardship
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sanctuary, asylum
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: shelter
Narrower terms: harbor, harbour, safehold, safe house
11
noun
Meaning 11
something or someone turned to for assistance or security
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
his only recourse was the police
took refuge in lying
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: recourse, resort
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: resource
Narrower terms: shadow
12
noun
Meaning 12
a safe place
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He ran to safety
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: safety
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: area, country
Narrower terms: harborage, harbourage
History
Etymology
From Middle English refuge, from Old French refuge, from Latin refugium, from re- + fugiō (“flee”). Doublet of refugium.
Across languages
Translations
136 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مَلْجَأ
(maljaʔ)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Arabic:
مَلَاذ
(malāḏ)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Azerbaijani:
sığıncaq
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Belarusian:
прыту́лак
(prytúlak)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Bengali:
পানা
(pana)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Breton:
repu
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Bulgarian:
убе́жище
(ubéžište)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Catalan:
refugi
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Chinese Mandarin:
避難 /避难
(bìnàn)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Chinese Mandarin:
避難所 /避难所
(bìnànsuǒ)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Czech:
útočiště
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Finnish:
turva
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Finnish:
suoja
— state of safety, protection or shelter
French:
refuge
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Galician:
refuxio
— state of safety, protection or shelter
German:
Zuflucht
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Greek:
καταφύγιο
(katafýgio)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Greek:
υπόθαλψη
(ypóthalpsi)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Hindi:
शरण
(śaraṇ)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Hindi:
पनाह
(panāh)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Ido:
refujeyo
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Irish:
tearmann
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Italian:
rifugio
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Italian:
riparo
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Japanese:
避難所
(hinanjo)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Japanese:
避難
(hinan)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Latin:
refugium
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Māori:
punanga
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Māori:
piringa
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Middle English:
refuge
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Middle English:
refute
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Old English:
ġebeorg
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Persian:
پناه
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
schronienie
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
schronisko
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
azyl
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Portuguese:
refúgio
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Portuguese:
abrigo
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Romanian:
refugiu
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Romanian:
adăpost
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Russian:
убе́жище
(ubéžišče)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Sanskrit:
शरण
(śaraṇa)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Serbo-Croatian:
prib(j)ežište
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Serbo-Croatian:
уточиште
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Serbo-Croatian:
utočište
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Slovak:
útočisko
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Slovene:
pribežališče
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Spanish:
refugio
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Telugu:
శరణము
(śaraṇamu)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Turkish:
sığınak
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Ottoman Turkish:
التجا
(iltica)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Ukrainian:
приту́лок
(prytúlok)
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Vietnamese:
sự ẩn náu
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Vietnamese:
sự trú ẩn
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Welsh:
encil
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Welsh:
lloches
— state of safety, protection or shelter
Armenian:
ապաստան
(apastan)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Azerbaijani:
sığıncaq
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Basque:
aterpe
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Breton:
repu
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Bulgarian:
убе́жище
(ubéžište)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Catalan:
refugi
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Chinese Mandarin:
避難所 /避难所
(bìnànsuǒ)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Czech:
útočiště
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Danish:
tilflugtssted
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Dutch:
schuilplaats
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Ewe:
sitsoƒe
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Finnish:
turvapaikka
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Finnish:
suojapaikka
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
French:
refuge
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Galician:
refuxio
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Georgian:
თავშესაფარი
(tavšesapari)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
German:
Herberge
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
German:
Zuflucht
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
German:
Zufluchtsort
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Greek:
καταφύγιο
(katafýgio)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Greek:
άσυλο
(ásylo)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Ancient Greek:
φυγάδιον
(phugádion)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Hebrew:
הֶקְדֵּשׁ
(hekdésh)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Hebrew:
מִפְלָט
(miflát)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Hebrew:
מִקְלָט
(miklát)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Hindi:
शरणालय
(śarṇālay)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Irish:
tearmann
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Italian:
rifugio
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Japanese:
避難所
(hinanjo)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Korean:
피난처
(pinancheo)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Korean:
대피소
(daepiso)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Latin:
refugium
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Macedonian:
збег
(zbeg)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Māori:
punanga
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Māori:
piringa
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Māori:
kuhunga
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Middle English:
refuge
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Middle English:
refute
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Norwegian Bokmål:
tilflukt
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Norwegian Nynorsk:
tilflukt
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Old English:
friþstōw
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
przytułek
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
schronienie
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
schronisko
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Polish:
azyl
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Portuguese:
refúgio
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Portuguese:
abrigo
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Russian:
убе́жище
(ubéžišče)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Russian:
укры́тие
(ukrýtije)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Sanskrit:
ओकस्
(okas)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Serbo-Croatian:
prib(j)ežište
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Spanish:
refugio
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Tagalog:
kayap
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Tocharian B:
waste
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Tocharian B:
śarāṃ
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Ottoman Turkish:
التجا
(iltica)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Ukrainian:
приту́лок
(prytúlok)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Ukrainian:
при́хисток
(prýxystok)
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Vietnamese:
nơi trú ẩn
— place providing safety, protection or shelter
Ewe:
sitsoƒe
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Finnish:
turva
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Finnish:
tuki
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Galician:
refuxio
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
German:
Zuflucht
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
German:
Zufluchtsstätte
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
German:
Refugium
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Greek:
προστασία
(prostasía)
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Greek:
άσυλο
(ásylo)
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Latin:
refugium
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Middle English:
refuge
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Middle English:
refute
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Portuguese:
refúgio
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Serbo-Croatian:
zbjeg
— something or someone turned to for safety or assistance
Catalan:
refugiar-se
— to return to a place of shelter
Galician:
refuxiarse
— to return to a place of shelter
Spanish:
refugiarse
— to return to a place of shelter
