Verb / Noun A2–C1 /seɪv/

Save — Definition, Examples & Pronunciation

To rescue, to keep for later, to store data, to spend less — one small word with a very big range of uses.

Quick Definition

Save (verb): to rescue someone or something from danger or harm; to keep something for future use rather than spending or using it now; to store data on a computer; to spend or use less of something; to prevent a goal in sport.

Save (noun): an act of preventing a goal, especially by a goalkeeper; an act of rescuing a situation at a critical moment.

What Does Save Mean?

Save comes from Old French sauver, derived from Late Latin salvare ("to keep safe, preserve"), which in turn comes from salvus meaning "safe" or "unharmed". The same Latin root gives us salvation, safe, salvage, and salute. The word entered English in the 13th century and has been in continuous use ever since, broadening its meaning considerably over time.

In modern English, save covers at least five distinct senses. At A2 level, learners typically encounter the computing sense ("save your work") and the money sense ("save up for something"). At B1–B2, the rescue and sport senses become important. The formal literary use of save as a preposition or conjunction meaning except ("nothing remained save a single candle") belongs to C1 and above.

She saved all her essays to review her progress at the end of the year — this sentence beautifully illustrates the computing sense blending with the idea of preservation over time, which is central to understanding the word across all its meanings.

Example Sentences by Level

LevelSentenceSense used
A2Please save your work before you close the laptop.store data (computing)
B1I am trying to save money so I can go on holiday next summer.set aside / spend less
B1She saved all her essays to review her progress at the end of the year.keep for later use
B2The paramedics arrived just in time to save the man's life.rescue from danger
C1He agreed to take the blame, saving the company from public embarrassment and allowing its board to save face.idiom: save face (preserve dignity)

Collocations

CollocationExample
save timeTaking the motorway will save you at least twenty minutes.
save moneyCooking at home is a great way to save money.
save energySwitch off the lights when you leave to save energy.
save a lifeEarly diagnosis can save a life.
save a file / documentAlways save the file before you close the programme.
save faceHe changed his story to save face in front of his colleagues.
save the dayThe new manager arrived just in time to save the day.
save your breathSave your breath — he won't listen anyway.
save spaceFolding furniture is ideal if you need to save space.
make a saveThe goalkeeper made a brilliant save in the final minute.

Usage Notes

  • Save vs. keep: Both can mean "to hold for later", but save often implies a specific purpose or effort ("save a seat for me"), while keep is more general ("keep the receipt").
  • Save up (phrasal verb): Use save up when you accumulate money gradually towards a goal: "I've been saving up for a new bike." Plain save can be used without a specific target.
  • Save in computing: In British English both save and save as are standard. You save a file to a location; you do not "save into" a folder.
  • Save as a preposition (formal/literary): In formal or archaic English, save can mean except: "all was lost save honour". This usage is rare in modern everyday English.
  • Sport: As a noun, save is most common in football (soccer): "a point-blank save". In American English it also appears in baseball and ice hockey.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

I saved the document into the folder.

I saved the document to the folder. (use to, not into)

She is saving for buy a car.

She is saving to buy a car. / She is saving up to buy a car. (infinitive, not bare verb)

The doctor saved his life from the accident.

The doctor saved his life. / The doctor saved him from death. (save takes a direct object or from + noun)

Related Words

safe keep store rescue spend protect preserve savings (noun) saver (noun) saveable (adj.)

Synonyms

rescue preserve protect store conserve set aside retain recover

Antonyms

spend waste lose delete discard abandon

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “save”

What does save mean in English?
Save has several meanings: (1) to rescue someone or something from danger or harm; (2) to keep something for use later rather than spending or using it now; (3) to store data on a computer or device; (4) to spend or use less of something such as money, time, or energy; and (5) in sport, to prevent the opposing team from scoring. As a noun, a save is the act of preventing a goal, especially by a goalkeeper.
What is the difference between save and rescue?
Both save and rescue mean to free someone from danger, but rescue usually implies a more dramatic or physical effort — pulling someone from a burning building, for example. Save is broader and can be used in less urgent contexts: 'She saved me from making a huge mistake.' Rescue is almost always used with people or animals, while save can also refer to objects, money, time, and data.
How do you use save as a noun?
As a noun, save most commonly appears in sport: 'The goalkeeper made a brilliant save.' In computing it is used informally: 'Remember to do a save before you close the file.' In British English you may also hear 'a close save' or 'a lucky save' to describe a narrow escape, though 'narrow escape' is more formal.
What is the difference between save money and save up?
'Save money' simply means to spend less or put money aside. 'Save up' (phrasal verb) implies saving gradually over time with a specific goal in mind: 'I am saving up for a new laptop.' The phrasal verb always carries the idea of accumulating towards a target.
What are common collocations with save?
Common collocations include: save time, save money, save energy, save a life, save a file, save face, save the day, save your breath, save space, make a save (sport). The collocation 'save face' means to avoid humiliation; 'save the day' means to rescue a situation at the last moment.
What does save face mean?
'Save face' is an idiom meaning to avoid humiliation or preserve one's dignity in a difficult situation. For example: 'He apologised publicly to save face.' The expression comes from a translation of a Chinese concept (面子, miànzi) and entered English in the 19th century through diplomatic contexts.
What is the past tense of save?
The past tense and past participle of save are both saved (regular verb): 'She saved the document.' 'All the files had been saved automatically.' The present participle is saving: 'He is saving money for a holiday.'
Can save be used in formal writing?
Yes. Save is used in formal and academic contexts, particularly in the senses of preserving resources ('measures to save energy') and rescuing ('efforts to save the species from extinction'). In very formal or literary English, save can also be a preposition or conjunction meaning 'except': 'Nothing was left save a single chair.' This usage is rare in modern everyday English.
What is the origin of the word save?
Save comes from Old French sauver, which derived from Late Latin salvare ('to save, preserve'), related to salvus meaning 'safe' or 'unharmed'. The same Latin root gives English salvation, safe, salvage, and salute. The word entered English in the 13th century and has been in continuous use ever since.
How can I practise using save in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise save in context, or use Flash Cards to test its different meanings and collocations. Writing short sentences using save in each of its main senses — rescue, store data, spend less, sport — is a very effective way to fix all the meanings in your memory.