rescue mission

noun

plural rescue missions

1

: a city religious mission (see mission entry 1 sense 4a) providing social and spiritual assistance to the poor and needy

The nonprofit, Christian-based rescue mission has provided a variety of social services to the poor and homeless over its 55-year history.

—Janet Lavelle

also : the premises of a rescue mission

I used to go quite often to Charleston, West Virginia to speak in the old rescue mission …

—Lee Roberson

2

: an undertaking to rescue someone or something from a dangerous or difficult situation

They kept him alive that way for more than twenty-four hours, waiting for a helicopter rescue mission that came too late.

—Jamie James

After a 12-hour rescue mission, navy personnel were able to tow the animal safely to land.

—Brigit Katz

Examples of rescue mission in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Multiple agencies responded to the crash and a search-and-rescue mission was quickly launched, according to officials. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

The season ended with Wednesday, Uncle Fester, and Thing hitting the road in a motorcycle sidecar in a desperate rescue mission to track Enid down. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will soon have to cease its science observations after a daring rescue mission’s attempt to boost its orbit failed over the summer. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

Police then orchestrated a rescue mission via helicopter due to the conditions. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rescue mission

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition