Asylum is a noun referring to a place of refuge or protection for people who are persecuted or in danger, such as refugees. It can also denote a hospital or institution offering care, particularly for the mentally ill, historically. The term carries formal/legal connotations in migration contexts and can imply shelter, safety, or custodial custody depending on usage.
"She sought asylum in a neighboring country after years of persecution."
"The old hospital was repurposed into a modern asylum for the mentally ill."
"During the crisis, many families applied for asylum for their children."
"The asylum offered a temporary refuge while their visa applications were processed."
Asylum comes from the Middle English ausilme or ausilme, ultimately from Late Latin asyla, from Greek asulos ‘properly a city or sanctuary,’ from asylon ‘unrefusable or unbanishable,’ with asylos meaning ‘unbanishable’ or ‘refuge’ (a place of protection). The original sense in English referred to a sanctuary consecrated by law for criminals or debtors, later shifting toward places of protection for the persecuted, and eventually to mental hospitals as ‘the asylum’ for care. First attested in the 14th century, the term evolved with legal and humanitarian concepts of asylum and refuge, expanding to international asylum law in modern times. Over centuries, the word’s semantic field widened from sacred sanctuary to civic refuge and medical institutions, while retaining the core association with protection and safety.”,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Asylum" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Asylum" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Asylum"
-lum sounds
-ct) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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AS-y-lum, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈæ.sə.ləm/ (often transcribed as /ˈæ.sə.ləm/ in careful speech). Keep the middle vowel lax and reduce the second syllable to a schwa: /ˈæ.sə.ləm/. Start with an open front unrounded vowel /æ/, then a relaxed /s/ cluster, then a neutral syllable /ə/, ending with /ləm/. Visualize saying “æ-suh-luhm.”
Common errors include over-articulating the second syllable as a full /ləm/ or turning it into /lə/ with pronounced /m/ at the end. Many learners also tense the first vowel into /eɪ/ (making /ˈeɪ.sjuː.ləm/). Correction: use a lax /ə/ for the second syllable, reduce the middle vowel to /ə/ and keep /ləm/ light and quick. Practice the sequence: /ˈæ/ + /s/ + /ə/ + /ləm/ with a quick, even tempo.
In US/UK/AU, the initial vowel is /æ/ in all, with rhoticity affecting the following vowel in connected speech. US tends toward slightly sharper /æ/ with a more reduced second syllable; UK and AU often have a broader /æ/ and a more centralized /ə/ in the middle. The ending /ləm/ remains largely consistent, but Australians may exhibit a crisper final /l/ and a softer /ə/ leading to /ˈæ.sələm/ in rapid speech.
The difficulty lies in the unstressed, reduced middle syllable and the quick transition from /æ/ to /ə/ to /ləm/. The sequence /æ.sə.ləm/ requires smooth vowel reduction and precise timing to avoid an over-enunciated /ə/ in the middle or a heavy /l/ at the end. Mastery involves practicing a natural schwa in the second syllable and a light, blended final /ləm/ without adding extra vowels.
A key feature is the two-consonant cluster at the start /s/ and the rapid, relaxed middle vowel. The word relies on a light, almost imperceptible middle vowel rather than a full vowel. Emphasize the first syllable clearly, but allow the second and third to glide; this balance yields a natural, native-like pronunciation in fluent speech.
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