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:
Now, a new £1m scheme is aiming to restore and conserve more than 4,000 acres of habitats at Eryri, also known as Snowdonia.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 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
At this spot, the Earth’s and the sun’s gravity create a stable point, allowing the spacecraft to better conserve fuel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The U.S. military has taken steps to conserve its interceptor stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Axel reminds everyone that Ray needs to conserve his energy.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
However, in line with international norms, citrus-based conserves will need to be distinguished as a separate type of product, and will have to be sold using the new legal name "citrus marmalade".
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026
"Once you get it moving, it isn't hard at all - people are pulling with one arm. It conserves energy, and it moves really quickly," said Lipo.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2025
Conversely, some people end up sleeping for long stretches when they have COVID, Al-Aly said, as the body conserves energy while it fights off the infection.
From Seattle Times ● 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
We often dip into it, and the tough ham sausages, the tins of liver sausages, the conserves, the boxes of cigarettes rejoice our hearts.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
The state is responsible for about 10% of conserved land, with nonprofits, local governments, tribes and other entities making up the rest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
“You’ll often read articles about conservation or about art that has been conserved and the name of the conservator is never mentioned.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
If properly conserved, they can last for hundreds of years.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
These docking domains share a conserved connection point that allows them to interact with multiple enzyme partners.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026
Kraals were swept, the topsoil was conserved, fields were neatly divided.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
After adding more than a million acres in the last year, California is on track to meet its goal of conserving 30% of its land by 2030, officials announced Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
Roman's successful first mid-course correction is also expected to make its second correction much smaller, potentially conserving still more propellant.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
A recent survey by Susquehanna Polling and Research found that 77 percent of likely voters believe that "conserving national forests and other roadless lands for current and future generations" is paramount.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Neither study questions the value of protected areas for conserving biodiversity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Like a turtle, I pulled back into my shell, conserving my courage and my words until I really needed them.
From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine
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.
