: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
specifically
: an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage
Examples of preservative in a Sentence
Noun
This food does not contain any artificial preservatives.
The wood was treated with preservative.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 1 Dec. 2024
The thimerosal preservative present in some vaccines is metabolized into ethylmercury, and so does not carry the same risk as toxic methylmercury.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Nov. 2024
Dave Knox, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Chemical preservatives, including nitrates and nitrites, are often used during the curing process.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preservative 
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.
Adjective
Kennedy has falsely linked vaccines to numerous health conditions, arguing, for instance, that the mercury-containing vaccine preservative thimerosal causes neurological disorders in children, particularly autism.
—Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 1 Dec. 2024
The thimerosal preservative present in some vaccines is metabolized into ethylmercury, and so does not carry the same risk as toxic methylmercury.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
Many people, including myself, assume that shelf-stable means full of preservatives.
—Dave Knox, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Chemical preservatives, including nitrates and nitrites, are often used during the curing process.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preservative
Dictionary Entries Near preservative
Cite this Entry
“Preservative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preservative. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preservative
1 of 2 adjective
pre·ser·va·tive
pri-ˈzər-vət-iv 
: having the power of preserving
preservative
2 of 2 noun
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
especially
: a substance added to food to prevent spoiling or discoloring
Medical Definition
preservative
noun
pre·ser·va·tive
pri-ˈzər-vət-iv
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
specifically
: an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage
a food preservative
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share