safe
Americanadjective
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safer,
comparative
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safest
superlative
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secure from liability to harm, injury, danger, or risk.
a safe place.
- Synonyms:
- guarded, invulnerable
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free from hurt, injury, danger, or risk.
to arrive safe and sound.
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involving little or no risk of mishap, error, etc..
a safe estimate.
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dependable or trustworthy.
a safe guide.
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careful to avoid danger or controversy.
a safe player; a safe play.
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denied the chance to do harm; in secure custody.
a criminal safe in jail.
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Baseball.
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reaching base without being put out.
safe on the throw to first base.
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making it possible to reach a base.
a safe slide.
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adverb
noun
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safes
plural
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a steel or iron box or repository for money, jewels, papers, etc.
- Synonyms:
- safe-deposit box, chest, coffer, strongbox
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any receptacle or structure for the storage or preservation of articles.
a meat safe.
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(in plumbing)
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a pan for catching leakage.
-
-
Slang. a condom.
idioms
adjective
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affording security or protection from harm
a safe place
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(postpositive) free from danger
you'll be safe here
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secure from risk; certain; sound
a safe investment
a safe bet
-
worthy of trust; prudent
a safe companion
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tending to avoid controversy or risk
a safe player
-
unable to do harm; not dangerous
a criminal safe behind bars
water safe to drink
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informal excellent
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as a precaution
adverb
-
in a safe condition
the children are safe in bed now
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to act in a way least likely to cause danger, controversy, or defeat
noun
-
a strong container, usually of metal and provided with a secure lock, for storing money or valuables
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a small ventilated cupboard-like container for storing food
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a slang word for condom
Usage
What is a basic definition of safe? Safe describes something that is secure from harm or danger. Safe can also refer to something that is free from danger and is not risky. Safe is a secure object that is used to keep valuables in. Safe has several other senses as an adjective, noun, and adverb. Safe means that something or someone is secured. If you’re safe, you don’t have to worry about getting hurt or being at risk. The word safety means something is intended to help avoid risk or the state of not being at risk. Real-life examples: Babies are usually kept in cribs or limited to certain parts of a house so that they will be kept safe and won’t wander into danger. Eggs are kept in special containers designed to keep them safe from cracking. Athletes often wear equipment such as helmets that keep their sensitive body parts safe (or safer) from injury. Used in a sentence: The scared child felt safe with their father and mother. Safe also means something or someone avoided danger or managed to come through an event unhurt. This sense is often used in the phrase safe and sound. Real-life examples: Firefighters, police, and paramedics won’t relax or leave a scene until they know everyone is safe. Family members of people stuck in a dangerous situation hope they will be safe. Used in a sentence: Somehow, Ebony made it out safe and sound after falling into the lion exhibit. Safe can also mean that something is not risky or is unlikely to be wrong. Real-life examples: In gambling, safe bets usually have low prizes. Companies that are already very successful and financially secure are usually considered safe investments. It is a safe guess to say it will rain if you already see thunderclouds and lightning. Used in a sentence: We took the safe way home by walking together on brightly lit streets. A safe is a secure box or similar object that is designed to protect valuables from being stolen or damaged. Real-life examples: Banks and stores often keep cash locked in a safe. You might keep your cherished things in a small safe that has a lock and key. Used in a sentence: Jadyn keeps his gold coins in an iron safe hidden behind a painting on the wall.
Synonym Usage
Safe, secure can both imply that something can be regarded as free from danger. These words are frequently interchangeable. Safe, however, is applied rather to a person or thing that is out of or has passed beyond the reach of danger: The ship is safe in port. Secure is applied to that about which there is no need to fear or worry: to feel secure about the future; The foundation of the house does not seem very secure.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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safenessnoun
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supersafenessnoun
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unsafenessnoun
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quasi-safeadjective
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supersafeadjective
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ultrasafeadjective
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unsafeadjective
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safelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of safe
First recorded in 1250–1300; (adjective) Middle English sauf, saf from Anglo-French saf, Old French sauf from Latin salvus “intact, whole”; (noun) late Middle English save, originally derivative of save 1, assimilated to the adjective; cf. salvation
Explanation
If you're safe, you're out of harm's way, or protected from being hurt. These days most parents strap their small children into car seats to keep them safe. When you protect a person or an object from danger, you keep them safe. Eggs are sold in special cartons so they're safe from cracking, and drivers wear seat belts to keep them safe from being injured in accidents. Cash is kept safe in the bank. In baseball, a player is safe when they touch a base. You can also use safe as a noun, for a special box that keeps money and other valuable items safe.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Cara Severino, 24, was found "safe and well" on Friday, her parents said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
Considering I physically jumped out of my seat at one point playing the demo when avoiding the Alien, it's safe to say Creative Assembly will once again be ratcheting up the tension with the sequel.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
“Our children deserve to learn their language, celebrate their heritage and feel safe doing so,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Melatonin is often promoted as a safe sleep aid, but researchers say there is limited evidence about its cardiovascular safety when taken for extended periods.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
I mean, Traveler was a truly kind person and he probably wanted everyone to be safe.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Argentina has a history of debasing its currency, which is why its people keep billions of dollars in coffee cans, home safes and mattresses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025
"We have found plenty of safes before," Mr Kane said.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2024
In March, investigators searching Combs’ Holmby Hills mansion emptied safes, dismantled electronics and left papers strewn in some rooms, sources told The Times.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2024
The sources said that it appeared investigators searching Combs’ L.A. home emptied safes, dismantled electronics and left papers strewn in some rooms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2024
Not to mention the US currency they’ll figure we have in our safes from our foreign donors.”
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
The general rule of thumb is to start moving more of your portfolio into safer vehicles, like bonds, as you get closer to retirement.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
Our police department has uncovered stolen cars, tracked criminals, and kept our city even safer with the help of Flock Cameras.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
On Wednesday, Meta agreed to pay up to $17 billion over 10 years and make changes to Facebook and Instagram to try to make the platforms safer for teens and those younger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
It included steps such as protecting data privacy and focusing on safer platform design, including better methods of verifying a user's age and not exposing such users to addictive design features.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
All of the new structures were designed to catch any radioactive debris that might be knocked loose as workers dismantled the crippled reactors and moved fuel from their storage pools to a safer location.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Government bonds feel safest of all, because they’re backed by the U.S. government.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
Her revealing, sometimes seething account makes clear that, rather than being solo affairs, the safest rescues are accomplished by teams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
"Further prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these observations and better define the safest blood pressure treatment strategies for patients with DKD," concluded Dr. Agur.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
The Department for Transport stressed Britain's railways were "among the safest in the world" as it reacted to the incident.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
“I think the safest place for you is Mars. Take a rocket and get going....Nuts to you!”
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
