saving grace

noun

: a redeeming quality or factor

Examples of saving grace in a Sentence

It's expensive, but the machine's saving grace is its ease of operation. One of her saving graces is a good sense of humor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The saving grace, for now, is that foreclosures and bankruptcies remain low by historical standards. Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 4 May 2026 Forgetting to Handwash Modern kitchens lean heavily on convenience, and the dishwasher often feels like a saving grace at the end of a long day. Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026 Knoblauch recognized that the only possible saving grace for Edmonton in that moment lay in the chance that the goal was wiped out by a technicality. Chris Johnston, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 Our saving grace on that brisk night? Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for saving grace

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of saving grace was in 1798

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Cite this Entry

“Saving grace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saving%20grace. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

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