haven

noun

ha·​ven ˈhā-vən How to pronounce haven (audio)
Synonyms of haven
1
: harbor, port
2
: a place of safety : refuge
3
: a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions
a haven for artists
haven transitive verb

Synonyms of haven

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Examples of haven in a Sentence

The shelter offers a haven from abusive spouses. The inn is a haven for weary travelers. This national park provides a safe haven for wildlife.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Within one of those havens, Ellora, lives Pavi, a 10-year-old street kid with no memory of anything beyond the past three years. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 Lifewit Large Silverware Drawer Organizer This Amazon best-seller transforms chaotic silverware drawers into an organizational haven. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2026 Pollinators and birds have found a welcoming haven here, is a spot that was previously barren, rocky ground. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 There aren’t many such pockets of nature left in Singapore, which is a small and now heavily urbanized country, and that makes Coney Island feel all the more peaceful, like a respite and a haven of sorts. — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for haven

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hæfen; akin to Middle High German habene harbor

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of haven was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing haven

Rhymes for haven

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Browse Nearby Words

have much to commend it
haven
haven't
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Cite this Entry

“Haven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haven. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

haven

noun
ha·​ven ˈhā-vən How to pronounce haven (audio)
1
: harbor entry 1 sense 2, port
2
: a place of safety : shelter
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