rescue

verb

res·​cue ˈre-(ˌ)skyü 

rescued; rescuing

transitive verb

: to free from confinement, danger, or evil : save, deliver

They were rescued from the burning building by firefighters.

… a volunteer group that rescues and nurtures injured and orphaned wildlife …

—Australian Geographic

(figurative) … the acanthus leaf into which the light fixture on the hall ceiling is set was rescued from a curbside trash heap.

—Barbara Deane

: such as

a

: to take (someone, such as a prisoner) forcibly from custody

b

: to recover (something, such as a prize) by force

c

: to deliver (a place under siege) by armed force

—sometimes used figuratively

She rescued an old chair from the trash.

rescuable

ˈre-(ˌ)skyü-ə-bəl 

adjective

rescue noun

Historians are wary of the notion that, at a critical point in history, a heroic figure, galloping to the rescue, snatches victory from the jaws of defeat …

—James MacGregor Burns

rescuer noun

Synonyms of rescue

• save
• salvage

Choose the Right Synonym for rescue

rescue, deliver, redeem, ransom, reclaim, save mean to set free from confinement or danger.

rescue implies freeing from imminent danger by prompt or vigorous action.

rescued the crew of a sinking ship

deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

save may replace any of the foregoing terms; it may further imply a preserving or maintaining for usefulness or continued existence.

an operation that saved my life

Examples of rescue in a Sentence

The survivors were rescued by the Coast Guard.

an all-out effort to rescue a beached whale

Recent Examples on the Web

Diaz, who was stationed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Barking Sands, jumped into the water to rescue two children who were struggling in the high surf, according to the release. —Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 26 Nov. 2025

Since formation, more than 715,000 people have been rescued by its surf lifesavers. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Nov. 2025

Attorneys argued that Bisch rescued the nonprofit from the brink of insolvency during his four years as executive director and set it on its path to success. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Nov. 2025

The remaining 24 were all rescued, according to a statement from President Bola Tinubu, though no details were released about the rescue. —Brittany Williams, Arkansas Online, 26 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rescouen, rescuen, from Anglo-French rescure, from re- + escure to shake off, from Latin excutere, from ex- + quatere to shake

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rescue

• come/go to the rescue of
• rescue mission
• search and rescue team

Kids Definition

rescue

verb

res·​cue ˈres-kyü 

rescued; rescuing

: to free from danger or evil : save

rescue noun

rescuer noun