conservation

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tion ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən 

1

: a careful preservation and protection of something

especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect

water conservation

wildlife conservation

2

: the preservation of a physical quantity during transformations or reactions

conservational

ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Synonyms

• preservation

Examples of conservation in a Sentence

They are trying to raise money for conservation.

the conservation of the environment

She specializes in the conservation of furniture.

the conservation of religious shrines

Recent Examples on the Web

Initially stored in facilities provided by the Kea Police Department, the objects were later transferred to conservation laboratories in Athens, where the preservation process is ongoing. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025

The Alliance is a network of 250 businesses that invest in land and water conservation. —Brianna Randall, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Gino helped open Animal Kingdom in 1998, when Disney World unveiled the groundbreaking theme park that the company stressed, at the time, was not a zoo, but rather a theme park inspired by and dedicated to the conservation of wildlife. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025

Robert, Bindi and Bindi’s husband, Chandler Powell, all work at the family’s Australia Zoo and continue his conservation efforts. —Emy Lacroix, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conservacioun "maintenance in good condition," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French conservacion "preservation, protection," borrowed from Latin conservātiōn-, conservātiō "action of keeping intact or unharmed, preservation," from conservāre "to save or keep from danger, preserve, keep unchanged" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at conserve entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing conservation

• anti-conservation
• conservation area
• conservation of charge
• conservation of energy
• conservation of mass

Rhymes for conservation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

conservation

noun

con·​ser·​va·​tion ˌkän(t)-sər-ˈvā-shən 

: a careful preservation and protection of something

especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, pollution, destruction, or neglect