preserve

American  

[pri-zurv] / prɪˈzɜrv /

verb (used with object)

• preserves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preserved,
  past participle,  past
• preserving
  present participle

1. to keep alive or in existence; make lasting.

   to preserve our liberties as free citizens.

   Synonyms:

   conserve

   Antonyms:

   destroy

2. to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare.

   Synonyms:

   shield, shelter, safeguard

3. to keep up; maintain.

   to preserve historical monuments.

   Synonyms:

   sustain, keep up, continue

4. to keep possession of; retain.

   to preserve one's composure.

5. to prepare (food or any perishable substance) so as to resist decomposition or fermentation.

6. to prepare (fruit, vegetables, etc.) by cooking with sugar, pickling, canning, or the like.

7. to maintain and reserve (game, fish, etc.) for continued survival or for private use, as in hunting or fishing.

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verb (used without object)

• preserves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preserved,
  past participle,  past
• preserving
  present participle

1. to preserve fruit, vegetables, etc.; make preserves.

2. to maintain a preserve for game or fish, especially for sport.

noun

• preserves
  plural

1. something that preserves.

2. that which is preserved.

3. Usually preserves. fruit, vegetables, etc., prepared by cooking with sugar.

4. a place set apart for protection and propagation of game or fish, especially for sport.

preserve British  

/ ˌprɛzəˈveɪʃən, prɪˈzɜːv /

verb

1. to keep safe from danger or harm; protect

2. to protect from decay or dissolution; maintain

   to preserve old buildings

3. to maintain possession of; keep up

   to preserve a façade of indifference

4. to prevent from decomposition or chemical change

5. to prepare (food), as by freezing, drying, or salting, so that it will resist decomposition

6. to make preserves of (fruit, etc)

7. to rear and protect (game) in restricted places for hunting or fishing

8. (intr) to maintain protection and favourable conditions for game in preserves

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noun

1. something that preserves or is preserved

2. a special area or domain

   archaeology is the preserve of specialists

3. (usually plural) fruit, etc, prepared by cooking with sugar

4. areas where game is reared for private hunting or fishing

Synonym Usage

See defend.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preservability
  noun
• preservation
  noun
• preserver
  noun
• nonpreservable
  adjective
• preservable
  adjective
• unpreservable
  adjective
• preservably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preserves
  plural

Participles

• preserving
  present
• preserved
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• preserve
  simple
• preserves
  simple
• have preserved
  perfect
• has preserved
  perfect
• am preserving
  progressive
• are preserving
  progressive
• is preserving
  progressive
• have been preserving
  perfect progressive
• has been preserving
  perfect progressive

Past

• preserved
  simple
• had preserved
  perfect
• was preserving
  progressive
• were preserving
  progressive
• had been preserving
  perfect progressive

Future

• will preserve
  simple
• will have preserved
  perfect
• will be preserving
  progressive
• will have been preserving
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of preserve

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English preserven, from Medieval Latin praeservāre “to guard” ( Late Latin: “to observe”), equivalent to Latin prae- prefix meaning “before, prior to, in advance” ( see pre-) + servāre “to watch over, keep, preserve, observe”

Explanation

When you preserve something, you maintain its condition, like trying to preserve your good health by exercising regularly and eating right. The verb preserve describes keeping something as it is now, without a decline in quality. It can also refer to keeping something safe from harm, as in “The group worked hard to preserve the regional ecosystem.” When you preserve food, such as fruit, you keep it from rotting. Jellies and jams are preserves, the noun form. A preserve can also be lands set aside, or preserved, as animal habitats.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preserve preserves preserved preserving

Depending on how their fertility is affected, women may still be able to preserve their eggs after recovering from cancer.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

To overhaul its signature Whopper, Burger King added a more premium bun, new mayonnaise, a box to preserve freshness—and a corporate chef who had already worked magic at chicken chain Popeyes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

By learning which environments preserve ancient organisms on Earth, scientists may become better equipped to recognize possible signs of life elsewhere.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

Manuela Barrios, a volunteer psychologist in Limonar, said the recovered objects help survivors "preserve the memory."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

She fingered dried plants, pressed between paper to preserve fine details.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman

The fossil also preserves features on Urokodia's legs that may have served as book gills, allowing the animal to breathe underwater.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

I studied the pastries while pretending not to listen: tea-infused buns knotted with candied citrus, laminated pastry layered with spiced cream cheese, craggy oat muffins dotted with boysenberry preserves.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

“The five-bedroom home preserves its original post-and-beam character while introducing custom millwork, cabinetry, tile, built-ins, and furnishings designed specifically for the property,” adds the listing.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Nolan preserves the broad arc of Odysseus’ struggle to return home while freely reshaping what happens along the way, often shifting the emphasis from the mythological to the psychological.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Against the other wall were shelves neatly stacked with jars of fruit preserves.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

If characteristic patches of preserved collagen can be recognized in those older images, researchers may already have a large archive of fossils worth examining with newer protein analysis techniques.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

Combining preserved midcentury architecture, sustainable living practices, and an abundance of outdoor amenities, the Northridge property offers buyers a home that celebrates both California’s design heritage and a more intentional way of living.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

"If people understand why these species should be preserved, then our enforcement will only be complementary to those who decide to be recalcitrant."

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

"While we honor his devotion, human life is precious and must be preserved to serve the long-term struggle for Tibet," Tsering said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

She wasn’t sure how to store guinea fowl, but she had often preserved fish.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Tehran, which has endured years of sanctions, is pushing more of the burden onto households by rationing fuel and electricity, restricting scarce foreign currency and cutting investment while preserving essential imports and state resources.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

Some fragments of the Hillsborough meteorite will eventually be curated by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, preserving the unusual material for future research.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Others are preserving genetic material in case we ever work out how to resurrect species from the dead.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

That approach avoids unnecessary conflict during her lifetime while preserving your right to step aside when the time comes.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

The passive voice is just one of the gadgets that the English language makes available to rearrange phrases while preserving their semantic roles.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• conserve
• defend
• freeze
• keep
• perpetuate
• protect
• retain
• safeguard
• save
• secure
• store
• sustain
• uphold