English Reference

Word

save

Phoneticssave

US/ˈseɪv/

UK/sˈeɪv/

Definitions

01to rescue

A1 · Beginner

v. to stop someone or something from being hurt, killed, or destroyed.

v. to rescue someone or something from harm, danger, or destruction.

“The brave lifeguard jumped into the water to save the struggling swimmer.”

“The emergency services worked tirelessly through the night to save the historic building from the spreading wildfire.”

Antonyms

02to keep money

A1 · Beginner

v. to keep money so that you can use it later.

v. to accumulate money by spending less than one earns or by putting it aside for future use.

“I am trying to save fifty dollars every month for my summer holiday.”

“Financial advisors generally recommend that young professionals save at least fifteen percent of their monthly income for long-term retirement goals.”

Synonyms

economizehoardreserve

Antonyms

03to store data

A2 · Elementary Computing

v. to make a computer keep your work so you do not lose it.

v. to write data from a computer's temporary memory to a permanent storage medium.

“Don't forget to save your document before you close the laptop.”

“The software is configured to automatically save progress every five minutes to prevent data loss in the event of a system crash.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

04to avoid wasting

A2 · Elementary

v. to avoid using too much of something like time, energy, or space.

v. to prevent the waste or unnecessary consumption of a resource.

“Taking the motorway will save us at least twenty minutes on our trip.”

“Installing solar panels and better insulation can save a significant amount of energy during the winter months.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

05sports/goalkeeping

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Sports

n. an act of stopping a ball from going into the goal.

n. an instance of a goalkeeper preventing the opposing team from scoring a goal.

“The goalkeeper made a brilliant save in the final minute of the match.”

“The crowd erupted when the keeper pulled off a spectacular fingertip save, pushing the ball just wide of the post.”

Synonyms

06stored file

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing Informal

n. a file that records your progress in a game or computer program.

n. a recorded state of a computer program or video game that allows a user to resume from that point.

“I lost three hours of gameplay because my last save was corrupted.”

“The latest patch allows players to transfer their manual saves between different gaming consoles using a cloud service.”

Synonyms

save filecheckpoint

07except

C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary

prep. except for one person or thing.

prep. excluding; with the exception of. Used to indicate that the following noun is the only exception to a statement.

“The room was completely empty save for a single wooden chair.”

“The entire board of directors voted in favour of the merger, save for the chairman, who remained unconvinced by the financial projections.”

Antonyms

08unless

C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary

conj. except that; unless.

conj. except that; used to introduce a clause that limits a previous statement.

“I would have arrived on time, save that my train was delayed.”

“Little is known of the poet's early life, save that he was born into a family of modest means in a small coastal village.”

Synonyms

Usage

Commonly used in sports like soccer, hockey, and baseball, as well as in digital computing contexts.

Pitfall

I am saving money for buy a car.

I am saving money to buy a car.

Use 'to' plus the infinitive to show the purpose of saving.

Confusables

save vs spend

Save is keeping resources for later, while spend is using them up now.

RememberSave stays; Spend slips away.

Real-World Examples

“Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save during first-period NHL hockey game action against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal, Thursday, April 9, 2026.”
AP News 9 Apr 2026
“David Raya makes a save in the 92nd minute from a curling cross by Alejandro Garnacho to deny Chelsea.”
The Guardian 1 Mar 2026
“Jordan Pickford is no stranger to making spectacular saves for both Everton and England - but was Saturday's stop to deny Sandro Tonali his best yet?”
BBC Sport 1 Mar 2026
“David Raya was over in one corner of the goal, having just saved a penalty.”
BBC Sport 20 Sept 2024

Etymology

From Middle English saven, sauven, borrowed from Old French sauver, itself from Late Latin salvāre ("to save"). The Latin verb derives from salvus ("safe"), which carries back through Proto-Italic salawos to Proto-Indo-European sl̥h₂-wós — the same root that gives English safe, salve, and salvation.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Idioms

Domains

ComputingGamblingSports

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Very common
Level
A2 · ElementaryOxford
Updated

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