rescue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to free or deliver from confinement, danger, or difficulty: She rescued me from an awkward conversation.
The police were able to rescue the hostages in time.
She rescued me from an awkward conversation.
-
Law. to liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody.
noun
-
the act of rescuing.
- Synonyms:
- emancipation, redemption, release, deliverance, liberation
-
the act of rescuing animals from danger, abuse, or neglect, as the adoption of stray and abandoned animals from an animal shelter, or the protection of wild animals in an animal sanctuary.
Animal rescue requires cooperation between animal control agencies and shelters.
-
a group or organization that participates in such animal welfare activities: breed-specific rescues.
your local rescue;
breed-specific rescues.
-
a domestic animal adopted from an animal shelter or other animal welfare group.
Our new puppy is a rescue!
adjective
-
of or relating to someone or something trained or equipped to rescue.
The county's three certified rescue dogs and their handlers searched for earthquake survivors in the rubble.
-
of or relating to a domestic animal adopted or available for adoption from an animal shelter or other animal welfare group.
rescue puppies and kittens looking for loving families.
verb
-
to bring (someone or something) out of danger, attack, harm, etc; deliver or save
-
to free (a person) from legal custody by force
-
law to seize (goods or property) by force
noun
-
-
the act or an instance of rescuing
-
( as modifier )
a rescue party
-
-
the forcible removal of a person from legal custody
-
law the forcible seizure of goods or property
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rescue
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb rescuen, from Old French rescourre, equivalent to re- + escourre “to shake, drive out, remove,” from Latin excutere ( ex- + -cutere, combining form of quatere “to shake”); see origin at re-, ex- 1
Explanation
When you rescue something, you save it from something bad — you come to the rescue. If Muffin, your kitten, is stuck in a tree, you can get out your ladder and climb up to rescue her. A rescue is a good thing, much appreciated by people (and kittens). If your house is in foreclosure, you'd be very grateful for the uncle who comes to your rescue by paying your mortgage. Whenever there's an earthquake or other disaster, rescue operations are quickly put in place to find survivors. You can use the word more casually, as in describing how you saunter over at a cocktail party and rescue your friend from a conversation with an insufferable bore.
Vocabulary lists containing rescue
Beowulf vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Enabling or Disabling?" and "This I Believe"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 Maldivian rescue diver who died while searching for their bodies has also been named as Staff Sgt Mohamed Mahdhee.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
The search and rescue team said it had covered "coastal paths, river banks, woodland, abandoned buildings, field systems and streets".
From BBC • May 17, 2026
A humpback whale that underwent a rescue operation in Germany two weeks ago after beaching itself there has been found dead near a Danish island, officials said Saturday.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
Some experts at the time criticised the privately financed rescue plan, saying it would only cause the animal more distress.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
The Coast Guard also had helicopters in the air, and Weyerhaeuser, too, put their helicopters to work in search and rescue.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
