asylum seeker

[ uh-sahy-luhm see-ker ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a person, especially a political fugitive, who applies for refuge or asylum in a foreign country or its embassy.

asylum seeker

noun

a person who, from fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, social group, or political opinion, has crossed an international frontier into a country in which he or she hopes to be granted refugee status

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Word History and Origins

Origin of asylum seeker¹

First recorded in 1955–60

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He witnessed an asylum seeker trying to kick out the windows of a room in the hotel, while holding what appeared to be a knife.

From BBC

"But the free ride isn't all that. I wish I was an asylum seeker, I'd have free accommodation."

From BBC

That is because Hani came to Northern Ireland as an asylum seeker from Kurdistan, like Hossam from Sudan.

From BBC

But how it's used sometimes by immigration lawyers to stop deportations has long been a concern of politicians – in 2011, I even remember Theresa May claiming an asylum seeker had been allowed to stay in the UK because of their cat.

From BBC

Newsom has advocated for the return of one asylum seeker who was sent, without charge or trial, to spend the rest of his life in a Salvadoran hellscape.

From Salon

asylum asymmetric

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