conserve
Americanverb (used with object)
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conserves,
present (3rd person singular)
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conserved,
past participle, past
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conserving
present participle
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to prevent injury, decay, waste, or loss of.
Conserve your strength for the race.
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to use or manage (natural resources) wisely; preserve; save.
Conserve the woodlands.
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Physics, Chemistry. to hold (a property) constant during an interaction or process.
the interaction conserved linear momentum.
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to preserve (fruit) by cooking with sugar or syrup.
noun
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conserves
plural
verb
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to keep or protect from harm, decay, loss, etc
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to preserve (a foodstuff, esp fruit) with sugar
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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conservernoun
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conservableadjective
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nonconservingadjective
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self-conservingadjective
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unconservedadjective
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unconservingadjective
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well-conservedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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conservesimple
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conservessimple
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have conservedperfect
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has conservedperfect
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am conservingprogressive
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are conservingprogressive
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is conservingprogressive
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have been conservingperfect progressive
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has been conservingperfect progressive
Past
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conservedsimple
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had conservedperfect
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was conservingprogressive
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were conservingprogressive
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had been conservingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of conserve
First recorded in 1325–75; (for the verb) Middle English, from Latin conservāre “to save, preserve”; equivalent to con- + serve; (for the noun) Middle English, from Middle French conserve, noun derivative of conserver, from Latin, as above
Explanation
To conserve is to save or protect something, like money, or your energy on a long run. People are also encouraged to conserve energy by turning off lights and not cranking the air conditioner. Conserve is from the Latin for "to keep, preserve, guard" (conservare). Con means "together," so "together" we can "serve" the planet by not doing doughnuts in the wetlands on our jet skis. You can conserve the planet or a little something for yourself — you might conserve hot water so you can wash your hair later, or try to conserve your old bedroom when you go off to college (and your mom is ready for a home office).
Vocabulary lists containing conserve
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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Physical Science - Energy - Introductory
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Workshop 2, Part 1
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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:
He said the island's pub, The Tavern, had closed toilets and removed bath plugs to help conserve supplies.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
The projects would have helped conserve the imperiled spiky succulents that draw millions of visitors to Joshua Tree each year and play a key role as a linchpin of the Mojave Desert ecosystem.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Roman used far less fuel than expected during its first course correction, carried additional propellant at launch, and is projected to conserve even more during its second mid-course correction and orbital insertion.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
The waterway is set to reduce daily traffic from 36 to 32 ships a day in an effort to conserve water amid a severe drought likely to last until mid-2027.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
The janitors could not use the elevators because Burnham had ordered them turned off after dark to conserve power for the fair’s nightly illuminations.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
He scans the pitch before receiving possession, waits patiently for the right opportunity and conserves energy until the moment arrives.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The use of plastic in agriculture undeniably conserves important resources.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 25, 2023
In contrast, reducing waste generation conserves natural resources and avoids other negative environmental impacts throughout a product's life.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2023
She also utilizes a no-till method that conserves water, feeds the soil and creates a natural habitat for birds and beneficial insects.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2023
The program reduces pollution and conserves natural resources.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Its presence across these major animal groups suggests that the arrangement emerged early in tetrapod evolution and has remained largely conserved.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
As of June, California had conserved 27.1% of its land and 21.9% of its coastal waters, officials said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
The team found that caffeine appears to affect aging by tapping into a deeply conserved energy sensing system.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
After major credit-ratings firms downgraded Whirlpool’s debt to junk status, it raised money by selling new shares, and conserved money by suspending the dividend it had paid for 70 years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
This conserved our energy and vastly increased our chances of getting up Everest, but I found it hugely unsatisfying.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Instead of conserving energy efficiently, their cells appeared to be operating in a more energy-intensive state.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
While the state is on track to meet its goal of conserving 30% of its land by 2030, it’s lagging in its efforts to conserve 30% of its coastal waters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Most of the global targets they set four years ago -- from tackling invasive species to conserving 30 percent of land and oceans, slashing pollution and protecting threatened species -- are off-track.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Neither study questions the value of protected areas for conserving biodiversity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Rather, it's the little things we're strong-armed into conserving.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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