What does "preserve" mean?
A sweet spread made of any of a variety of fruits.
Preserve
/pɹəˈzɜːv/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A sweet spread made of any of a variety of fruits.
- Grammar: preserve is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: conserve, anhydrate, aniakchak, animal testing welfare.
- Useful contrasts: active tearing, addled, aged scroll.
- Usage evidence: We must preserve our peaceful constitution.
How to use "preserve"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "preserve" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "preserve" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "preserve" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "preserve" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "preserve" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "conserve" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "preserve", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A sweet spread made of any of a variety of fruits. countable, uncountable
- 2 fruit preserved by cooking with sugar wordnet
- 3 A reservation, a nature preserve. countable, uncountable
"Suppose Shakespeare had been knocked on the head some dark night in Sir Thomas Lucy's preserves, the world would have wagged on better or worse, the pitcher gone to the well, the scythe to the corn, and the student to his book; and no one been any the wiser of the loss."
- 4 a reservation where animals are protected wordnet
- 5 An exclusive area of activity. countable, uncountable
"Kids regard their tree houses as their own preserve."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 a domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone wordnet
Verb
- 1 To protect; to keep from harm or injury.
"Let's pray that we'd be preserved from danger."
- 2 prevent (food) from rotting wordnet
- 3 To save from decay by the use of some preservative substance, such as sugar or salt; to season and prepare (fruits, meat, etc.) for storage.
"to preserve peaches or grapes"
- 4 to keep up and reserve for personal or special use wordnet
- 5 To maintain throughout; to keep intact.
"to preserve appearances; to preserve silence"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction wordnet
- 7 keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last wordnet
- 8 keep undisturbed for personal or private use for hunting, shooting, or fishing wordnet
- 9 maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"We must preserve our peaceful constitution."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "preserve"?
Common synonyms include: conserve, anhydrate, aniakchak, animal testing welfare, annals archive, archival collects.
How do you use "preserve" in a sentence?
We must preserve our peaceful constitution.
How do you pronounce "preserve"?
Pronounced /pɹəˈzɜːv/.
Etymology
From Middle English preserven, from Old French preserver, from Medieval Latin prēservāre (“keep, preserve”), from Late Latin praeservāre (“guard beforehand”), from prae (“before”, adverb) + servāre (“maintain, keep”).