preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən 

: the act, process, or result of preserving something: such as

a

: the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay

preservation of state parks/monuments

preservation of an old tradition

The special emphasis of recent years on preservation continued in 1988. More than 8,000 brittle volumes (1.5 million pages) were committed to microfilm; an additional 777 rare books, manuscripts, and historical films received special conservation treatment.

—Library and Book Trade Almanac

These and so many lesser red flags seem finally to be shifting public interest toward the preservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

—E. Annie Proulx

b

: the preparation of food for future use (as by canning, pickling, or freezing) to prevent spoilage

the use of salt in the preservation of meat

In the years following the first Earth Day in 1970, a contingent of Americans insisted on developing pesticide-free systems of farming and anti-chemical methods of food preservation and preparation.

—Tibbett L. Speer

Synonyms of preservation

• preserving
• maintenance

Examples of preservation in a Sentence

each curator is responsible for the preservation of the works of art within his or her department

the preservation of the tropical rainforests is a global responsibility

Recent Examples on the Web

Fanning was in attendance to celebrate the 17th year of the MoMA Film Benefit, which raises money for the acquisition and preservation of key film works and provides funding to support the museum’s groundbreaking film exhibitions. —Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 13 Nov. 2025

Cemetery ownership and preservation efforts Ground penetrating radar studies performed at both sites show that there are about 184 graves in SouthPark and 62 in Grier Heights. —Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2025

Patients in this study are a specific subset (BCG-unresponsive and eligible for bladder preservation) and may not represent all bladder-cancer cases. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025

Work continues on the White House ballroom project as historic preservation advocates press for proper review procedures. —Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing preservation

• preservation order
• self-preservation
• state of preservation

Rhymes for preservation

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

Kids Definition

preservation

noun

pres·​er·​va·​tion

ˌprez-ər-ˈvā-shən

: a keeping from injury, loss, or decay