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• save
  save

  verb (used with object)

  to rescue from danger or possible harm, injury, or loss.
• Save
  Save

  noun

  Sava.

save

¹ American  

[seyv] / seɪv /

verb (used with object)

saved, saving

1. to rescue from danger or possible harm, injury, or loss.

   to save someone from drowning.

   Synonyms:

   salvage

2. to keep safe, intact, or unhurt; safeguard; preserve.

   God save the king.

3. to keep from being lost to an opponent.

   A goal in the final minute saved the game.

4. to avoid the spending, consumption, or waste of.

   to save fuel.

5. to keep, as for reuse.

   to save leftovers for tomorrow's dinner.

6. to set aside, reserve, or lay by.

   to save money.

   Synonyms:

   husband, store up

7. to treat carefully in order to reduce wear, fatigue, etc..

   to save one's eyes by reading under proper light.

8. to prevent the occurrence, use, or necessity of; obviate.

   to come early in order to save waiting.

9. Theology. to deliver from the power and consequences of sin.

10. Computers. to copy (a file or other data) to a storage medium, as from RAM to a disk.

11. Sports. to stop (a ball or puck) from entering one's goal.

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verb (used without object)

saved, saving

1. to lay up money as the result of economy or thrift.

   Synonyms:

   hoard, economize

2. to be economical in expenditure.

3. to preserve something from harm, injury, loss, etc.

4. to keep or last without spoiling, as food.

noun

1. an act or instance of saving, especially in sports.

   The goalie guarded the net well and made a crucial save.

2. Baseball. a statistical credit given a relief pitcher for preserving a team's victory by holding its lead in a game.

3. Computers.

   1. an act of copying a file or other data to a storage medium.

      The server is scheduled to execute a systemwide save at the end of the work day.

   2. one version of a saved file.

      We can recover the lost data if we restore it from a previous save.

save ² American  

[seyv] / seɪv /

preposition

1. except; but.

   All the guests had left save one.

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conjunction

1. except; but (usually followed bythat ).

   He would have gone, save that he had no means.

Save ³ American  

[sah-vuh] / ˈsɑ və /

noun

1. Sava.

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save ¹ British  

/ seɪv /

verb

1. (tr) to rescue, preserve, or guard (a person or thing) from danger or harm

2. to avoid the spending, waste, or loss of (money, possessions, etc)

3. (tr) to deliver from sin; redeem

4. (often foll by up) to set aside or reserve (money, goods, etc) for future use

5. (tr) to treat with care so as to avoid or lessen wear or degeneration

   use a good light to save your eyes

6. (tr) to prevent the necessity for; obviate the trouble of

   good work now will save future revision

7. (tr) sport to prevent (a goal) by stopping (a struck ball or puck)

8. (intr) (of food) to admit of preservation; keep

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noun

1. sport the act of saving a goal

2. computing an instruction to write information from the memory onto a tape or disk

save ² British  

/ seɪv /

preposition

1. Also: saving.  (often foll by for) with the exception of

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conjunction

1. but; except

save Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing save

• penny saved is a penny earned
• rainy day, save for a
• scrimp and save
• to save one's life

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Usage

What is a basic definition of save? Save means to rescue from danger, to lessen the use of something, or to set something aside for later. Save has many other uses, especially as a verb and a noun. If you save someone, you prevent them from being harmed or injured. Nonliving things can also be saved from destruction or damage. A person who saves someone or something else can be called a savior.

• Real-life examples: Superheroes save the world from supervillains and disasters. Firefighters often save people from burning buildings. A gardener may need to save their plants from hungry animals.
• Used in a sentence: We managed to gather support and save the park from being bulldozed. 

When you save gas or save time, you are lowering the amount that you usually spend. Things that lower the amount of stuff needed are called savers with another noun describing what is being saved, as in time saver. The noun saving, meaning a reduction, is based on this sense of save.

• Real-life examples: Many people want to save money they spend on gas by buying fuel-efficient cars. Using a calculator to solve math problems saves time and stress involved with doing the math in your head. You can save water by turning off the sink while brushing your teeth.
• Used in a sentence: I think our country will save money on energy if we switch to solar power. 

Save can also mean to keep something for later. For example, many people save money for a special thing they want to buy or so they have some available in case of an emergency. The word savings is used to refer to money saved for future need.

• Real-life examples: People often save leftover food to eat later rather than throw it away. Some people save food, water, and other supplies in case of emergencies. Hospitals may save emergency supplies of blood and medicine so they don’t run out.
• Used in a sentence: I am saving my funniest jokes for the talent show. 

Related Words

See except ¹.

Other Word Forms

• savable
  adjective
• savableness
  noun
• saveable
  adjective
• saveableness
  noun
• saver
  noun
• unsavable
  adjective
• unsaveable
  adjective
• unsaved
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of save¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English sa(u)ven, from Old French sauver, salver, from Late Latin salvāre “to save”; see origin at safe

Origin of save²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sauue, sauf, save, variant of safe

Explanation

To save is to keep safe. So, you might save money for college, save a kitten from drowning, or save a dropped football. You can save a choking person by giving them the Heimlich maneuver, or save a stray puppy from running into the street. There are other ways to save things, too, like when you keep them for later: "You can eat your brownie, but I'll save mine until after dinner." Or when you spend less money: "I'll save by buying this at the used book store." The Latin root is salvus, "safe."

Example Sentences

Laura Loomer retweeted the post to her 1.9 million followers: “Terrible! Save the dogs!”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Pod Save America, the flagship podcast of Obama-era liberalism, had him on.

From Salon • May 2, 2026

A petition set up by Save Our Reds, has attracted more than 75,000 signatures, urging more action.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Proposition 187 — dubbed the Save Our State initiative — would be introduced three months after the renaming of Brooklyn Avenue.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

“The first in the neighborhood. Don’t spend them, now. Save them.”

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Related Words

• collect
• conserve
• keep
• maintain
• manage
• spare
• store