safe

[ seyf ]

/ seɪf /

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See synonyms for: safe / safer / safest / safes on Thesaurus.com

adjective, saf·er, saf·est.

secure from liability to harm, injury, danger, or risk: a safe place.

free from hurt, injury, danger, or risk: to arrive safe and sound.

involving little or no risk of mishap, error, etc.: a safe estimate.

dependable or trustworthy: a safe guide.

careful to avoid danger or controversy: a safe player; a safe play.

denied the chance to do harm; in secure custody: a criminal safe in jail.

Baseball.

reaching base without being put out: safe on the throw to first base.
making it possible to reach a base: a safe slide.

adverb

Informal. in a safe manner; safely: Learn how to drive safe.See Grammar note at adverb.

noun

a steel or iron box or repository for money, jewels, papers, etc.

any receptacle or structure for the storage or preservation of articles: a meat safe.

(in plumbing)

a pan for catching leakage.
template (def. 7).

Slang. a condom.

OTHER WORDS FOR safe

1 protected, invulnerable, guarded.

4 sure, reliable.

5 wary, careful.

9 strongbox, coffer, chest, safe-deposit box.

See synonyms for safe on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about safe

play it safe, play (def. 85).

Origin of safe

First recorded in 1250–1300; (adjective) Middle English sauf, saf from Anglo-French saf, Old French sauf from Latin salvus “intact, whole”; (noun) late Middle English save, originally derivative of save¹, assimilated to the adjective; cf. salvation

synonym study for safe

1. Safe, secure can both imply that something can be regarded as free from danger. These words are frequently interchangeable. Safe, however, is applied rather to a person or thing that is out of or has passed beyond the reach of danger: The ship is safe in port. Secure is applied to that about which there is no need to fear or worry: to feel secure about the future; The foundation of the house does not seem very secure.

OTHER WORDS FROM safe

safe·ly, adverbsafe·ness, nounqua·si-safe, adjectivesu·per·safe, adjective

su·per·safe·ness, nounul·tra·safe, adjectiveun·safe, adjectiveun·safe·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use safe in a sentence

Simply driving to your aunt’s house for a Thanksgiving meal isn’t safe, either.
The CDC’s Thanksgiving warning isn’t really about travel|Sy Mukherjee|November 20, 2020|Fortune
This data from New York doesn’t mean that all schools are safe to open in all environments.
Schools are not spreading covid-19. This new data explains why.|Emily Oster|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
The action means the FAA is satisfied that software and other fixes, and new pilot training, make the plane safe to fly again.
FAA lifts ban on Boeing 737 Max after crashes in 2018 and 2019 grounded the jet|Michael Laris, Lori Aratani, Ian Duncan|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
They claim to be getting better and better at that, and one day they say they’ll be able to make the internet safe again for everyone.
EmTech Stage: Facebook’s CTO on misinformation|Tate Ryan-Mosley|November 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review

We’re asking them to come in on budget, but also make sure everyone is safe.
‘Logistical issues’: Confessions of a production exec on how coronavirus safety has changed her job|Kristina Monllos|November 18, 2020|Digiday
She felt a sudden safeness descend upon her, and for an hour or so her mind was at rest.
The Good Soldier|Ford Madox Ford
It gave me a feeling of human Sincerity: good-and-evil Safeness.
I, Mary MacLane|Mary MacLane
Certain weeds of the human bosom are prompt to flourish where safeness would seem to be guaranteed.
The Celt and Saxon, Complete|George Meredith

British Dictionary definitions for safe

safe

/ (seɪf) /

adjective

affording security or protection from harma safe place

(postpositive) free from dangeryou'll be safe here

secure from risk; certain; sounda safe investment; a safe bet

worthy of trust; prudenta safe companion

tending to avoid controversy or riska safe player

unable to do harm; not dangerousa criminal safe behind bars; water safe to drink

British informal excellent

on the safe side as a precaution

adverb

in a safe conditionthe children are safe in bed now

play safe to act in a way least likely to cause danger, controversy, or defeat

noun

a strong container, usually of metal and provided with a secure lock, for storing money or valuables

a small ventilated cupboard-like container for storing food

US and Canadian a slang word for condom

Derived forms of safe

safely, adverbsafeness, noun

Word Origin for safe

C13: from Old French salf, from Latin salvus; related to Latin salus safety

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with safe

safe

In addition to the idioms beginning with safe

safe and sound
safe as houses

also see:

better safe than sorry
on the safe side
play it safe

safe

OTHER WORDS FOR safe

Idioms about safe

Origin of safe

synonym study for safe

OTHER WORDS FROM safe

Words related to safe

How to use safe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for safe

Derived forms of safe

Word Origin for safe

Other Idioms and Phrases with safe