lifesaver
Americannoun
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lifesavers
plural
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a person who rescues another from danger of death, especially from drowning.
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a person or thing that saves a person, as from a difficult situation or critical moment.
That money was a lifesaver.
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Chiefly British. a lifeguard.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of lifesaver
First recorded in 1880–85; life + saver ( def. )
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:
“It’s a lifesaver to carry us through the storm we’re all in,” said county Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who led the push within the Board of Supervisors to get the measure on the ballot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Freezing ensures that your ingredients stay fresh for longer, cuts down on waste, helps you save money with fewer grocery trips and is a lifesaver on days when you don’t want to cook.
From Salon ● May 30, 2026
The low unemployment rate, perhaps the biggest surprise of the postpandemic labor market, has been a lifesaver for the economy.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 10, 2026
This new capital has been a lifesaver for private-equity firms, many of which have struggled to raise money from institutional investors for nearly four years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
In a situation like this, where I don’t even know how to name the various kinds of rooms, The Maids’ special system turns out to be a lifesaver.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
A mother has called two strangers "literal lifesavers" after they rescued her nine-month-old baby from a burning car.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026
Surf lifesavers across the country were joining the homage in solidarity before starting their morning patrols.
From Barron's ● Dec. 20, 2025
For those of us at high risk these are literally lifesavers.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2022
Parents trained as lifesavers are their guides in the water, wearing orange rashies to further brighten the scene.
From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2021
“No, not dead,” one of the lifesavers said.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
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.
