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

The Mwananchi newspaper and East Africa TV, citing Kilimanjaro region's head of police, reported that the helicopter was on a medical rescue mission. —Reuters, USA Today, 25 Dec. 2025

The 28 lawmakers wrote in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that at Yosemite National Park, staffing reductions and more visitors led to a 40% increase in search and rescue missions from January to July over the same period last year. —David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025

When a nuclear submarine disappears, the crew of a civilian oil rig goes on a search and rescue mission with jaw-dropping consequences. —Grace Dean, Space.com, 20 Dec. 2025

In a video from the rescue mission shared on X, the aircrew is seen deploying a rescue swimmer, who swiftly swims to the disabled vessel and helps each boater to the helicopter's lift. —Hunter Geisel, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025

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