conserved; conserving
1
: to keep in a safe or sound state
He conserved his inheritance.
especially
: to avoid wasteful or destructive use of
conserve natural resources
conserve our wildlife
2
: to preserve with sugar
3
: to maintain (a quantity) constant during a process of chemical, physical, or evolutionary change
conserved DNA sequences
conserver
noun
con·serve
ˈkän-ˌsərv 
Synonyms
Examples of conserve in a Sentence
Verb
With so little rain, everyone had to conserve water.
We need to conserve our natural resources.
Don't run around too much—you need to conserve your strength.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Attendees can learn how to extend the life of their clothing and conserve resources.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
This makes way for ecotourism, carbon offsets, and supposed conservationist efforts that work toward the goal set by global leaders to conserve 30 percent of the planet’s surface by 2030.
—Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
After packing the soil around the cutting, make a mini greenhouse to conserve humidity by covering the pot with a plastic bag, being careful the bag doesn't touch the leaves.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024
In this exhibit, guests will learn how Mote scientists are working to protect and conserve the Gulf of Mexico.
—Michael Moore Jr., Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2024
Measurements are displayed on a large LED screen, and the scale will automatically shut off to conserve its battery.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 21 Mar. 2024
Hibernation is a period of dormancy that some animals undergo to conserve energy in order to survive adverse weather or lack of food, according to the Australian Academy of Science.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Like Denver, New York and Chicago have struggled to provide enough resources and housing to keep up with the influx and have instituted measures to conserve their budgets, including shelter evictions.
—Daniella Silva, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2023
Her cranberry conserve?
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appétit, 25 Oct. 2022
Its metabolism and body temperature drop sharply, letting the animal conserve energy.
—Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2014
Citizen scientists in the bay area are helping conserve birds and their habitats through the San Francisco Bird Bay Observatory.
—Kristin Butler, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2015
The parks will bring farmers, processors, and retailers together using advanced climate technology to minimise waste, conserve water, and maximise crop yields, Reuters reported.
—Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 15 July 2022
The limited-edition yogurt, which is mixed with a strawberry-champagne conserve, features a small, tiara-like design drawing, similar to illustrations of crowns on Heinz’s sauce labels.
—Katie Deighton, WSJ, 25 May 2022
To maximize the damage and conserve resources, DDoSers often increase the firepower of their attacks through amplification vectors.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 1 Mar. 2022
Exactly what is the scientific foundation for the company’s claims that dredging the lake will fix its ecology and conserve water, however, is anybody’s guess.
—Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Jan. 2022
Verb
But the president is also determined to conserve environmentally sensitive lands, and has been expanding the footprint of national monuments around the country while also blocking off some public lands from oil and gas drilling.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Attendees can learn how to extend the life of their clothing and conserve resources.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
This makes way for ecotourism, carbon offsets, and supposed conservationist efforts that work toward the goal set by global leaders to conserve 30 percent of the planet’s surface by 2030.
—Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
After packing the soil around the cutting, make a mini greenhouse to conserve humidity by covering the pot with a plastic bag, being careful the bag doesn't touch the leaves.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024
In this exhibit, guests will learn how Mote scientists are working to protect and conserve the Gulf of Mexico.
—Michael Moore Jr., Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2024
Measurements are displayed on a large LED screen, and the scale will automatically shut off to conserve its battery.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 21 Mar. 2024
Hibernation is a period of dormancy that some animals undergo to conserve energy in order to survive adverse weather or lack of food, according to the Australian Academy of Science.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Like Denver, New York and Chicago have struggled to provide enough resources and housing to keep up with the influx and have instituted measures to conserve their budgets, including shelter evictions.
—Daniella Silva, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
Assenza is a master of preserving and transforming fruit into delicious conserves and marmalades.
—Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2023
Her cranberry conserve?
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appétit, 25 Oct. 2022
Its metabolism and body temperature drop sharply, letting the animal conserve energy.
—Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2014
Citizen scientists in the bay area are helping conserve birds and their habitats through the San Francisco Bird Bay Observatory.
—Kristin Butler, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2015
The parks will bring farmers, processors, and retailers together using advanced climate technology to minimise waste, conserve water, and maximise crop yields, Reuters reported.
—Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 15 July 2022
The limited-edition yogurt, which is mixed with a strawberry-champagne conserve, features a small, tiara-like design drawing, similar to illustrations of crowns on Heinz’s sauce labels.
—Katie Deighton, WSJ, 25 May 2022
To maximize the damage and conserve resources, DDoSers often increase the firepower of their attacks through amplification vectors.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 1 Mar. 2022
Exactly what is the scientific foundation for the company’s claims that dredging the lake will fix its ecology and conserve water, however, is anybody’s guess.
—Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Jan. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conserve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near conserve
Cite this Entry
“Conserve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conserve. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
conserve
1 of 2 verb
con·serve
kən-ˈsərv
conserved; conserving
1
a
: to keep in a safe or sound state
b
: to avoid wasteful or destructive use of : use carefully
conserve natural resources
conserve energy
2
: to preserve with sugar
3
: to keep (a quantity) constant during a process of change (as chemical change)
conserver
noun
conserve
2 of 2 noun
con·serve
ˈkän-ˌsərv
1
: a candied fruit
Medical Definition
conserve
1 of 2 noun
con·serve
ˈkän-ˌsərv
: an obsolete medicinal preparation made by mixing undried vegetable drugs with sufficient powdered sugar to form a soft mass compare confection
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