life preserver

noun

1
: a device (such as a life jacket or life buoy) designed to save a person from drowning by providing buoyancy in water
2
chiefly British : blackjack sense 2

Examples of life preserver in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Those old orange life preservers were heavy, bulky, hot, and sticky, and many people would take them off after a while. Ben Romans, Field & Stream, 21 Sep. 2023 Wearing a fluorescent orange life preserver and rubber gloves that reached his biceps, Prince William waded — ever so carefully — into New York’s East River. Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 The drones can be augmented with an infrared camera, spotlights and speakers to help in search and rescue capacities, and could even carry a life preserver out to a distressed swimmer before a lifeguard could get to them. Clare Duffy, CNN, 14 Aug. 2023 Anderson said two life preservers were found on the beach. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023 No distress calls were made, no bodies were recovered, and to this day, no shipwreck has been found – only a sole life preserver that washed up on the shores of Lake Superior weeks after the disappearance. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 8 Aug. 2023 Sport or recreational equipment like ballet and tap shoes, cleats, gloves, life preservers, mouth guards, roller and ice skates, ski boots, wetsuits and more. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 28 July 2023 No one was at the boat but 10 life preservers were spotted on the sand, OnScene reported. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2023 If this is all hands on deck, somebody throw me a life preserver. Dave Lieber, Dallas News, 10 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'life preserver.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of life preserver was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near life preserver

Cite this Entry

“Life preserver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20preserver. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

life preserver

noun
: a device designed to save a person from drowning by holding up the body while in the water

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