rescue 1 of 2

as in salvation
the saving from danger or evil stranded people hoping for rescue from the rising floodwaters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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rescue

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rescue contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rescue are deliver, ransom, reclaim, redeem, and save. While all these words 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

When is deliver a more appropriate choice than rescue?

In some situations, the words deliver and rescue are roughly equivalent. However, deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

When is it sensible to use ransom instead of rescue?

The synonyms ransom and rescue are sometimes interchangeable, but ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

In what contexts can reclaim take the place of rescue?

Although the words reclaim and rescue have much in common, reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

When might redeem be a better fit than rescue?

The words redeem and rescue can be used in similar contexts, but redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

When can save be used instead of rescue?

The meanings of save and rescue largely overlap; however, 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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rescue
Noun
Lily, her miniature 13-year-old rescue dog, is in her lap; in the backseat is her one-year-old daughter, Ellis. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025 After a quick pit stop helping Poland's GOPR with a mountain rescue operation, the team made its way to Bentonville, Arkansas, for UP Summit 2025 and the latest flight demo. New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Two dogs were also rescued from Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025 The senior dog had been left without food or water for nearly a week before being rescued and brought to the shelter. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rescue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rescue
Noun
  • Baker says his salvation was an email sent out on behalf of the PFA in the summer of 2024.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Amid the town’s oppressive atmosphere, Elma’s colleague Saevar could provide salvation.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Just this summer, in June, the board approved moving seventh- and eighth-grade students from yellow school buses to the Metro in a move that saves CPS almost $3 million per year.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
  • That is, aside from the hijinks of Trump trying to kill his unborn baby to save his nights at Mar-a-Lago.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Mark Ix, the mill’s director of North American marketing, said the system has a 98 percent indigo recovery rate and a 98 percent water recovery rate.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Goldman Sachs delivered robust earnings for the third quarter of 2025, posting numbers that exceeded analyst expectations and reflected a sharp recovery in capital markets activity, investment banking, and wealth management.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The moves scuttled negotiations for weeks before subsequent talks salvaged the fragile trade truce.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
  • What fans didn’t realize was Wahlberg was on his own crusade to salvage Blue Bloods.
    Leena Tailor, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rescue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rescue. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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