saving

American  

[sey-ving] / ˈseɪ vɪŋ /

adjective

1. tending or serving to save; rescuing; preserving.

2. compensating; redeeming.

   a saving sense of humor.

   Synonyms:

   redemptory

3. thrifty; economical.

   a saving housekeeper.

4. making a reservation.

   a saving clause.

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noun

1. a reduction or lessening of expenditure or outlay.

   a saving of 10 percent.

2. something that is saved.

3. savings, sums of money saved by economy and laid away.

4. Law. a reservation or exception.

preposition

1. except.

   Nothing remains saving these ruins.

2. with all due respect to or for.

   saving your presence.

conjunction

1. except; save.

saving British  

/ ˈseɪvɪŋ /

adjective

1. tending to save or preserve

2. redeeming or compensating (esp in the phrase saving grace )

3. thrifty or economical

4. law denoting or relating to an exception or reservation

   a saving clause in an agreement

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noun

1. preservation or redemption, esp from loss or danger

2. economy or avoidance of waste

3. reduction in cost or expenditure

   a saving of 100 dollars

4. anything saved

5. (plural) money saved for future use

6. law an exception or reservation

preposition

1. with the exception of

conjunction

1. except

Other Word Forms

• nonsaving
  adjective
• savingly
  adverb
• unsaving
  adjective
• unsavingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of saving

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at save ¹, -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

A hot shower is no longer a luxury: Boilers are working again, saving residents the trouble of warming up pots of water before bathing.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

“We’re saving months, maybe years just because of that relationship alone.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

“By stripping out the ability to personalize or target them, you’re not really saving discounts at all,” Drew Ambrogi, a policy manager at Chamber of Progress, said in an interview with Salon.

From Salon • May 18, 2026

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko praised rescuers for saving the lives of 30 people.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

“She doesn’t care about you or your mother. She only cares about saving that deadbeat father.”

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Related Words

• preserving