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.

---

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

---

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

Some Late Stage Management investors have hired lawyers or filed complaints with the SEC to recover and preserve their pre-IPO SpaceX shares.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

His order was designed “to preserve Tegna as a separate and distinct, independently managed business unit from Nexstar,” Nunley wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

I wasn’t yet sure whether a festival built around it could preserve the reason why.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

She welcomed Wednesday's ruling, saying she had "pursued all available legal avenues" so as to "preserve the small amount of justice afforded to the Lovell family".

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

And there are plenty of caves, most of them never visited by people—because people aren’t allowed to drive into a wilderness preserve.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

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

The new policy preserves the benefits of life-sciences research while defining the areas of greatest risk, including prevention of accidental or intentional lab leaks, and penalties for irresponsible practices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 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

“Well, put a couple of potatoes in that bed of coals, and I’ll set out our plates and mugs. I think we’ll have some of Jenny’s peach preserves by way of celebration.”

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

"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

The rooms feature many vintage collectibles that Steve Baker had meticulously preserved.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

"The scene of the incident has been documented and processed to ensure that all relevant evidence is collected and preserved," Kawala added.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Because the surrounding rocks are about four billion years old, the ice preserved there may offer clues about how water moved through the young solar system.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

Odin's eye remains in Mimir’s well, preserved by the waters that feed the world ash, seeing nothing, seeing everything.

From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman

They were living institutions capable of preserving history, supporting entire local communities, and bringing people together in moments of crisis.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

That could make advanced tools less wasteful and more economical while preserving the extreme hardness required for industrial use.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

I would like to invest these funds in a financial vehicle that can generate additional income to supplement our monthly Social Security benefits while preserving the original principal for future emergencies.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

Priorities for Brown: halting further job losses and plant closings at the companies and preserving benefits, particularly fully paid health insurance coverage for union workers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Also, salt often can act like a time capsule, preserving signs of life from long ago.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Related Words

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