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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Crew members threw life preservers into the water and launched a rescue boat to reach the pair, who were tiny dots in the Atlantic by the time the larger ship was able to turn around. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025 With broadcast and cable viewership steadily sinking, streaming service partnerships could serve as an unlikely life preserver for traditional media. ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025 The smell of fresh doughnuts, floating like gorgeous golden life preservers in the shimmering fat of the fryer, hits you in the parking lot. Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 June 2025 The caller suspected the swimmer was under the influence, and one bystander tried to throw him a life preserver, but Schulz refused to take it, Judd said. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 26 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for life preserver

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Life preserver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20preserver. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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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