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. SpeerSynonyms
Examples 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
Haider Ackermann has just debuted as the new creative director of Canada Goose and as his first act, he’s launched an initiative dedicated to the preservation of polar bears, with a Hollywood ambassador: Jane Fonda.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
With the goal of preservation in mind, a bill at the state Legislature introduced in late March offers a tax credit covering up to 30% of the cost of an office-to-housing conversion, provided that the project retains about 75% of the existing structure.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 May 2024
For millennia, cooks have solved the whole rotting thing with preservation techniques like pickling, smoking, and salting.
—Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 10 May 2024
However, the city has beefed up its historic preservation department by adding more staff to enable property owners to get necessary credentials for state and federal grants to help restore their buildings.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2024
Silk Road, which has restored the estate to its former glory with an eye toward historic preservation, now operates two hotels there, as well as nearby vineyard and a fall classical music festival that features young performers from across the Caucasus region.
—Robert Levine, Billboard, 7 May 2024
On top of that, dehydrating foodstuff—the best preservation method for perishables sent to space—removes vital nutrients.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2024
Danielle Parker, executive director of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, said the designation highlights the African American experience in twentieth-century Appalachian coal mines, a story typically underrepresented in national historic preservation efforts.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
One of the letters urging preservation of the Arden Way building came from Adam Arenson, a professor at New York’s Manhattan College who is the preeminent scholar of Sheets’ work — and who has assembled a database of more than 300 buildings with artwork by Sheets’ studio.
—Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
With the goal of preservation in mind, a bill at the state Legislature introduced in late March offers a tax credit covering up to 30% of the cost of an office-to-housing conversion, provided that the project retains about 75% of the existing structure.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 May 2024
For millennia, cooks have solved the whole rotting thing with preservation techniques like pickling, smoking, and salting.
—Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 10 May 2024
However, the city has beefed up its historic preservation department by adding more staff to enable property owners to get necessary credentials for state and federal grants to help restore their buildings.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2024
Silk Road, which has restored the estate to its former glory with an eye toward historic preservation, now operates two hotels there, as well as nearby vineyard and a fall classical music festival that features young performers from across the Caucasus region.
—Robert Levine, Billboard, 7 May 2024
On top of that, dehydrating foodstuff—the best preservation method for perishables sent to space—removes vital nutrients.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2024
Danielle Parker, executive director of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, said the designation highlights the African American experience in twentieth-century Appalachian coal mines, a story typically underrepresented in national historic preservation efforts.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
One of the letters urging preservation of the Arden Way building came from Adam Arenson, a professor at New York’s Manhattan College who is the preeminent scholar of Sheets’ work — and who has assembled a database of more than 300 buildings with artwork by Sheets’ studio.
—Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preservation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near preservation
Cite this Entry
“Preservation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preservation. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
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