1
: an unctuous adhesive substance for application to wounds or sores
2
: a remedial or soothing influence or agency
a salve to their hurt feelings
salved; salving
1
: to remedy (something, such as disease) with or as if with a salve
Examples of salve in a Sentence
Verb (1)
attempting to salve her conscience, she anonymously sent the store a sum of cash sufficient to cover the merchandise she had shoplifted
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenny Berg, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025
With every remaining survivor who has been in Joe’s orbit alive, the only salve for his loneliness is disturbing fan mail.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Part of what can be confounding about grief is that what salves one person does the opposite for another.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for salve
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Noun
The product was thoughtfully developed, too: according to the brand, whipping up a salve that addresses 10 hair concerns took just as many years of research.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025
With every remaining survivor who has been in Joe’s orbit alive, the only salve for his loneliness is disturbing fan mail.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
Decades later, Reagan, a Republican, offered neoliberalism to salve the stagflation of the 1970s.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Part of what can be confounding about grief is that what salves one person does the opposite for another.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for salve
Cite this Entry
“Salve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salve. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
salve
1 of 2 noun
ˈsav 
ˈsȧv
: a healing ointment
salve
2 of 2 verb
salved; salving
: to ease or soothe with or as if with a salve
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