variants
or less commonly savour
1
: the taste or smell of something
2
: a particular flavor or smell
3
: a distinctive quality
variants
or less commonly savour
savored also savoured; savoring also savouring
ˈsā-vər-iŋ 
ˈsāv-riŋ
: to have a specified smell or quality : smack
1
: to give flavor to : season
Examples of savor in a Sentence
Noun
Without her love, life has lost its savor for me.
a gourmet who can identify the ingredients in any dish solely by their savor
Verb
He savored the aroma of the baking pies.
They savored every last morsel of food.
She was just savoring the moment.
The team is still savoring its victory.
He savored the memories of his vacation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Annie savors it, knowing she’ll soon be cooped up in the apartment again.
—Sierra Greer, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
My goal with Vin en Noir in 2024 is to make sure that every person who loves wine, comes to Downtown Napa, to sip, savor and repeat with us!
—Noël Burgess, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Particularly because Stone savors every delectable bite, making Bella a woman entirely ruled by her id.
If Bella is all id, then Duncan is pure ego.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 3 Sep. 2023
The pathology of the age is too much experience, too little savor.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024
Sip, savor, and support the Sonoma County Humane Society during this event which features wine tastings, a puppy kissing booth and pet supply drive.
—Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2024
Muldoon was here to opine, tweak, and savor, but not to boss.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
Wrap your hands around the mug, inhale the spice-laden aromas, sip and savor.
—Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
There’s a lot to savor here, starting with the peppy dialogue of playwright Justin Kuritzkes’ auspicious first feature screenplay, full of smash serves and spry backhands.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Snorkelers love to explore the bay’s marine life and colorful coral — but be sure to come up for air at day’s end to savor the spectacular sunset.
—Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024
Like with everything else, Horne gets to savor that wrinkle, too.
—NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024
García agrees, yet tempers any talk of future seasons, encouraging viewers to fully savor the episodes at hand first.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
There are two excellent reasons to savor the series, in all of its languor.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Knowing these will be his final days at the school has prompted him to savor every moment, responding to each of the 343 text messages on his phone after the Beach pulled out a 74-70 triumph over UC Davis.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Wander through colorful streets, savor authentic Cuban cuisine, and partake in live music and dance.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Noun
Many days, Albert savors sitting under the waterfall or by an air jet.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Annie savors it, knowing she’ll soon be cooped up in the apartment again.
—Sierra Greer, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
My goal with Vin en Noir in 2024 is to make sure that every person who loves wine, comes to Downtown Napa, to sip, savor and repeat with us!
—Noël Burgess, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Particularly because Stone savors every delectable bite, making Bella a woman entirely ruled by her id.
If Bella is all id, then Duncan is pure ego.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 3 Sep. 2023
The pathology of the age is too much experience, too little savor.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024
Sip, savor, and support the Sonoma County Humane Society during this event which features wine tastings, a puppy kissing booth and pet supply drive.
—Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2024
Muldoon was here to opine, tweak, and savor, but not to boss.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
Wrap your hands around the mug, inhale the spice-laden aromas, sip and savor.
—Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023
Verb
Whether worn as a daily indulgence or reserved for special occasions, Strawberry Letter invites wearers to embrace the beauty of the present moment and savor the sensory delights that surround them.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
There’s a lot to savor here, starting with the peppy dialogue of playwright Justin Kuritzkes’ auspicious first feature screenplay, full of smash serves and spry backhands.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Snorkelers love to explore the bay’s marine life and colorful coral — but be sure to come up for air at day’s end to savor the spectacular sunset.
—Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024
Like with everything else, Horne gets to savor that wrinkle, too.
—NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024
García agrees, yet tempers any talk of future seasons, encouraging viewers to fully savor the episodes at hand first.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
There are two excellent reasons to savor the series, in all of its languor.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Knowing these will be his final days at the school has prompted him to savor every moment, responding to each of the 343 text messages on his phone after the Beach pulled out a 74-70 triumph over UC Davis.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Wander through colorful streets, savor authentic Cuban cuisine, and partake in live music and dance.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'savor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French savur, from Latin sapor, from sapere to taste — more at sage
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of savor was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing savor
Dictionary Entries Near savor
Cite this Entry
“Savor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savor. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
savor
2 of 2 verb
savored; savoring
ˈsāv-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to have a specified smell or quality
2
: to give flavor to
3
: to taste or smell with pleasure : relish
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