preservation
noun
pres·er·va·tion
ˌpre-zər-ˈvā-shən 
: the act, process, or result of preserving something: such as
a
: the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay
preservation of state parks/monuments
preservation of an old tradition
The special emphasis of recent years on preservation continued in 1988. More than 8,000 brittle volumes (1.5 million pages) were committed to microfilm; an additional 777 rare books, manuscripts, and historical films received special conservation treatment.—
Library and Book Trade Almanac
Library and Book Trade AlmanacThese and so many lesser red flags seem finally to be shifting public interest toward the preservation of wildlife and natural habitats.—E. Annie Proulx
E. Annie Proulx
b
: the preparation of food for future use (as by canning, pickling, or freezing) to prevent spoilage
the use of salt in the preservation of meat
In the years following the first Earth Day in 1970, a contingent of Americans insisted on developing pesticide-free systems of farming and anti-chemical methods of food preservation and preparation.—Tibbett L. Speer
Tibbett L. SpeerExamples of preservation in a Sentence
each curator is responsible for the preservation of the works of art within his or her department
the preservation of the tropical rainforests is a global responsibility
Recent Examples on the Web
When other bidders were jockeying with Skydance, some of them – notably Sony Pictures in partnership with private equity giant Apollo Global – were viewed as worse options in terms of job preservation.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 24 July 2025
Historic preservation advocates, including Preservation Sacramento and the Sacramento Historical Society, supported the designation.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2025
Our homes, our girlhoods, our memories— these are worthy of preservation and praise.
—Essence, 23 July 2025
The financing package includes federal and state historic preservation tax credits, and a commercial loan with a guarantee from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development − a program also used for The Couture high-rise.
—Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preservation
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Dade Hayes, Deadline, 24 July 2025
Historic preservation advocates, including Preservation Sacramento and the Sacramento Historical Society, supported the designation.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2025
Our homes, our girlhoods, our memories— these are worthy of preservation and praise.
—Essence, 23 July 2025
The financing package includes federal and state historic preservation tax credits, and a commercial loan with a guarantee from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development − a program also used for The Couture high-rise.
—Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preservation
Cite this Entry
“Preservation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preservation. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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