save

[ seyv ]

/ seɪv /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for save on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), saved, sav·ing.

to rescue from danger or possible harm, injury, or loss: to save someone from drowning.

to keep safe, intact, or unhurt; safeguard; preserve: God save the king.

to keep from being lost to an opponent: A goal in the final minute saved the game.

to avoid the spending, consumption, or waste of: to save fuel.

to keep, as for reuse: to save leftovers for tomorrow's dinner.

to set aside, reserve, or lay by: to save money.

to treat carefully in order to reduce wear, fatigue, etc.: to save one's eyes by reading under proper light.

to prevent the occurrence, use, or necessity of; obviate: to come early in order to save waiting.

Theology. to deliver from the power and consequences of sin.

Computers. to copy (a file or other data) to a storage medium, as from RAM to a disk.

Sports. to stop (a ball or puck) from entering one's goal.

verb (used without object), saved, sav·ing.

to lay up money as the result of economy or thrift.

to be economical in expenditure.

to preserve something from harm, injury, loss, etc.

to keep or last without spoiling, as food.

noun

an act or instance of saving, especially in sports: The goalie guarded the net well and made a crucial save.

Baseball. a statistical credit given a relief pitcher for preserving a team's victory by holding its lead in a game.

Computers.

an act of copying a file or other data to a storage medium: The server is scheduled to execute a systemwide save at the end of the work day.
one version of a saved file: We can recover the lost data if we restore it from a previous save.

OTHER WORDS FOR save

1 salvage.

6 store up, husband.

12 economize, hoard.

See synonyms for save on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of save

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English sa(u)ven, from Old French sauver, salver, from Late Latin salvāre “to save”; see origin at safe

OTHER WORDS FROM save

sav·a·ble, save·a·ble, adjectivesav·a·ble·ness, save·a·ble·ness, nounsaver, nounun·sav·a·ble, adjective

un·save·a·ble, adjectiveun·saved, adjective

Other definitions for save (2 of 3)

save²

[ seyv ]

/ seɪv /

preposition

except; but: All the guests had left save one.

conjunction

except; but (usually followed by that): He would have gone, save that he had no means.

Origin of save

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sauue, sauf, save, variant of safe

synonym study for save

1. See except¹.

Other definitions for save (3 of 3)

Save

[ sah-vuh ]

/ ˈsɑ və /

noun

Sava.

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

How to use save in a sentence

"She has a soul to be saved, and it's quite saveable," answered the nun tartly.
The Art of Disappearing|John Talbot Smith
Pickering'll be a magician, I mean; he's the boy who'll save our bacon, if it's saveable.
Uller Uprising|Henry Beam Piper, John D. Clark and John F. Carr

British Dictionary definitions for save (1 of 2)

save¹

/ (seɪv) /

verb

(tr) to rescue, preserve, or guard (a person or thing) from danger or harm

to avoid the spending, waste, or loss of (money, possessions, etc)

(tr) to deliver from sin; redeem

(often foll by up) to set aside or reserve (money, goods, etc) for future use

(tr) to treat with care so as to avoid or lessen wear or degenerationuse a good light to save your eyes

(tr) to prevent the necessity for; obviate the trouble ofgood work now will save future revision

(tr) sport to prevent (a goal) by stopping (a struck ball or puck)

(intr) mainly US (of food) to admit of preservation; keep

noun

sport the act of saving a goal

computing an instruction to write information from the memory onto a tape or disk

Derived forms of save

savable or saveable, adjectivesavableness or saveableness, nounsaver, noun

Word Origin for save

C13: from Old French salver, via Late Latin from Latin salvus safe

British Dictionary definitions for save (2 of 2)

save²

/ (seɪv) archaic, or literary /

preposition

Also: saving (often foll by for) with the exception of

conjunction

but; except

Word Origin for save

C13 sauf, from Old French, from Latin salvō, from salvus safe

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 save

save

In addition to the idioms beginning with save

saved by the bell
save face
save for a rainy day
save one's bacon
save one's breath
save the day
save up

also see:

penny saved is a penny earned
rainy day, save for a
scrimp and save
to save one's life

save

OTHER WORDS FOR save

Origin of save

OTHER WORDS FROM save

Other definitions for save (2 of 3)

Origin of save

synonym study for save

Other definitions for save (3 of 3)

Words related to save

How to use save in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for save (1 of 2)

Derived forms of save

Word Origin for save

British Dictionary definitions for save (2 of 2)

Word Origin for save

Other Idioms and Phrases with save