preserve

American  

[pri-zurv] / prɪˈzɜrv /

verb (used with object)

• preserves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preserved,
  past participle,  past
• preserving
  present participle

1. to keep alive or in existence; make lasting.

   to preserve our liberties as free citizens.

   Synonyms:

   conserve

   Antonyms:

   destroy

2. to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare.

   Synonyms:

   shield, shelter, safeguard

3. to keep up; maintain.

   to preserve historical monuments.

   Synonyms:

   sustain, keep up, continue

4. to keep possession of; retain.

   to preserve one's composure.

5. to prepare (food or any perishable substance) so as to resist decomposition or fermentation.

6. to prepare (fruit, vegetables, etc.) by cooking with sugar, pickling, canning, or the like.

7. to maintain and reserve (game, fish, etc.) for continued survival or for private use, as in hunting or fishing.

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verb (used without object)

• preserves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preserved,
  past participle,  past
• preserving
  present participle

1. to preserve fruit, vegetables, etc.; make preserves.

2. to maintain a preserve for game or fish, especially for sport.

noun

• preserves
  plural

1. something that preserves.

2. that which is preserved.

3. Usually preserves. fruit, vegetables, etc., prepared by cooking with sugar.

4. a place set apart for protection and propagation of game or fish, especially for sport.

preserve British  

/ ˌprɛzəˈveɪʃən, prɪˈzɜːv /

verb

1. to keep safe from danger or harm; protect

2. to protect from decay or dissolution; maintain

   to preserve old buildings

3. to maintain possession of; keep up

   to preserve a façade of indifference

4. to prevent from decomposition or chemical change

5. to prepare (food), as by freezing, drying, or salting, so that it will resist decomposition

6. to make preserves of (fruit, etc)

7. to rear and protect (game) in restricted places for hunting or fishing

8. (intr) to maintain protection and favourable conditions for game in preserves

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noun

1. something that preserves or is preserved

2. a special area or domain

   archaeology is the preserve of specialists

3. (usually plural) fruit, etc, prepared by cooking with sugar

4. areas where game is reared for private hunting or fishing

Synonym Usage

See defend.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preservability
  noun
• preservation
  noun
• preserver
  noun
• nonpreservable
  adjective
• preservable
  adjective
• unpreservable
  adjective
• preservably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preserves
  plural

Participles

• preserving
  present
• preserved
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• preserve
  simple
• preserves
  simple
• have preserved
  perfect
• has preserved
  perfect
• am preserving
  progressive
• are preserving
  progressive
• is preserving
  progressive
• have been preserving
  perfect progressive
• has been preserving
  perfect progressive

Past

• preserved
  simple
• had preserved
  perfect
• was preserving
  progressive
• were preserving
  progressive
• had been preserving
  perfect progressive

Future

• will preserve
  simple
• will have preserved
  perfect
• will be preserving
  progressive
• will have been preserving
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of preserve

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English preserven, from Medieval Latin praeservāre “to guard” ( Late Latin: “to observe”), equivalent to Latin prae- prefix meaning “before, prior to, in advance” ( see pre-) + servāre “to watch over, keep, preserve, observe”

Explanation

When you preserve something, you maintain its condition, like trying to preserve your good health by exercising regularly and eating right. The verb preserve describes keeping something as it is now, without a decline in quality. It can also refer to keeping something safe from harm, as in “The group worked hard to preserve the regional ecosystem.” When you preserve food, such as fruit, you keep it from rotting. Jellies and jams are preserves, the noun form. A preserve can also be lands set aside, or preserved, as animal habitats.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preserve preserves preserved preserving

Manuela Barrios, a volunteer psychologist in Limonar, said the recovered objects help survivors "preserve the memory."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

Niman said he and Schell also wanted to preserve the land from developers and “wealthy people from the Central Valley,” who were moving to the area to build second homes, golf courses and four-lane highways.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Congress should protect scholarships, regulate agents and help preserve Olympic sports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Rather than modernizing the home through an extensive renovation, however, the couple chose to preserve its midcentury character while tailoring other elements of the dwelling to their lifestyle.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

“I fear there will be greater difficulties to preserve our Union,” Adams warned, “than You and I, our Fathers Brothers Disciples and Sons have had to form it.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

This famous geological formation preserves fossils from near the end of the age of dinosaurs.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

This also preserves the culinary reason for the limit without overpronouncing it: farmers market ingredients are usually best when they remain recognizable.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

“The five-bedroom home preserves its original post-and-beam character while introducing custom millwork, cabinetry, tile, built-ins, and furnishings designed specifically for the property,” adds the listing.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Nolan preserves the broad arc of Odysseus’ struggle to return home while freely reshaping what happens along the way, often shifting the emphasis from the mythological to the psychological.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Along with the classes for hogs and cattle and home preserves, a category for moths.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Combining preserved midcentury architecture, sustainable living practices, and an abundance of outdoor amenities, the Northridge property offers buyers a home that celebrates both California’s design heritage and a more intentional way of living.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

"If people understand why these species should be preserved, then our enforcement will only be complementary to those who decide to be recalcitrant."

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

“Silence” refers to the long period during which part of the fossil lay forgotten, while “leg” refers to the type of preserved material, consisting mainly of limb bones.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

"While we honor his devotion, human life is precious and must be preserved to serve the long-term struggle for Tibet," Tsering said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

The details in the lobby—the old posters and preserved light fixtures that had been the fruits of countless salvage trips and digging through neighboring theater basements—were one thing.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

That approach avoids unnecessary conflict during her lifetime while preserving your right to step aside when the time comes.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

William said he complained to BT but it also sparked an interest in preserving phone lines in more rural communities.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Some have hired lawyers to file a complaint against Late Stage, with the purpose of recovering and preserving their pre-IPO shares of SpaceX.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

“We are preserving and restoring the past for future generations to see what happened in 1887 in Monrovia — and how and why.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

We are really not all that good at preventing disease or preserving health—not yet anyway— and we are not likely to be until we have learned a great deal about disease mechanisms.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• conserve
• defend
• freeze
• keep
• perpetuate
• protect
• retain
• safeguard
• save
• secure
• store
• sustain
• uphold