life preserver

noun

Definition of life preserver

1 : a device (such as a life jacket or life buoy) designed to save a person from drowning by providing buoyancy in water

2 chiefly British : blackjack sense 2

Examples of life preserver in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But, to anyone harboring an unrequited crush, these early episodes where each finds out about the other's romantic feelings can be a life preserver. — Whitney Friedlander, CNN, "The 25 most relatable 'Friends' episodes as the show turns 25," 16 Aug. 2019 His wife, Rabab Diab, could not swim but survived when a nearby fisherman threw her a life preserver. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "California man who drove his wife and 2 autistic sons off a pier is charged with murder," 19 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'life preserver.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.