lifesaver

noun

life·​sav·​er ˈlīf-ˌsā-vər 

1

: one trained to save lives of drowning persons

2

: one that is at once timely and effective in time of distress or need

Examples of lifesaver in a Sentence

a surgical procedure that has been a lifesaver for many people

This multipurpose tool can be a real lifesaver when something needs fixing.

Frozen dinners can be lifesavers for busy parents.

Thanks so much for offering to help. You're a real lifesaver!

Recent Examples on the Web

Sensory play — activities that engage a child’s senses of touch, sight, and sound — can be a lifesaver. —Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026

Featuring encouraging reminders to sip throughout your trip, this glass water bottle with a leak-proof lid can be a literal lifesaver. —Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026

Garden clogs can be a lifesaver when navigating muddy garden beds or just taking quick trips in and out of the house (without having to stop to tie and untie laces every time). —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026

For so many years, the revolving dinner parties on the block were a lifesaver, a gentle valve release, a chance to forget the gray landscape of winter in Rochester or celebrate its beautiful summers. —Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lifesaver

• ritonavir
• aver
• braver
• craver
• favor
• favour
• flavor
• flavour
• graver
• paver
• quaver
• raver

Kids Definition

lifesaver

noun

life·​sav·​er ˈlīf-ˌsā-vər 

1

: a person trained to save the lives of drowning persons

2

: something that relieves distress when most needed