rescue mission

noun

plural rescue missions

1

: a city religious mission (see mission entry 1 sense 4a) providing social and spiritual assistance to the poor and needy

The nonprofit, Christian-based rescue mission has provided a variety of social services to the poor and homeless over its 55-year history.

—Janet Lavelle

also : the premises of a rescue mission

I used to go quite often to Charleston, West Virginia to speak in the old rescue mission …

—Lee Roberson

2

: an undertaking to rescue someone or something from a dangerous or difficult situation

They kept him alive that way for more than twenty-four hours, waiting for a helicopter rescue mission that came too late.

—Jamie James

After a 12-hour rescue mission, navy personnel were able to tow the animal safely to land.

—Brigit Katz

Examples of rescue mission in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hey took the lead, assigning tasks and organizing the rescue mission. —Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2025

Footage from the rescue mission shared by Michigan State Police on X shows the woman frantically waving towards the helicopter above her while lost amongst the trees. —Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

Post-disasters, some of those same communities experienced delays in search-and-rescue missions. —Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025

The suspension of the rescue mission comes days after an Italian climber named Luca Sinigaglia died while attempting to help Nagovitsina, Italian newspaper, L’Unione Sarda, reported. —Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rescue mission

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition