lifesaver
Americannoun
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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
- lifesaving adjective
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.
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
Early detection could be a lifesaver, he said: "Your life, or the life of someone you love, may depend upon it."
From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025
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
The World Service is "an absolute lifesaver" in some countries, said 78-year-old writer Jennifer Kavanagh.
From Barron's • Nov. 15, 2025
A voice reached out to her like a lifesaver in the water.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
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.
