Definition

Adjective: 1. Guarded from injury or destruction; kept safe or rescued from harm or loss. 2. (Especially in a religious context) Rescued from the power and consequences of sin; having received spiritual salvation.

Usage

The adjective "saved" describes a state of having been protected, rescued, or preserved from danger, loss, or spiritual damnation. It is often used with the auxiliary verb "to be" (e.g., is saved, was saved, have been saved).

Examples

• General meaning (rescued/preserved):

  • The firefighter saved the child from the burning building. The child is now saved.
  • I saved the document before the computer crashed. My work was saved.
  • The historic building was saved from demolition by a public campaign.

• Religious/spiritual meaning:

  • She believes she is saved by her faith.
  • The preacher spoke about the joy of being a saved soul.
  • They consider themselves saved from eternal punishment.

Advanced Usage

• "To be saved from oneself": To be prevented from acting on one's own self-destructive impulses or poor judgment.
  • His friends intervened and saved him from himself before he could make a terrible mistake.
• "Saved by the bell": An idiom meaning rescued from an unwanted situation by a last-minute interruption, originally from boxing where a bell ends a round.
  • The teacher was about to call on me when the fire alarm rang. I was saved by the bell!

Variants and Related Words

• Save (verb): To rescue, preserve, or set aside for future use.
  • He wants to save money for a new car.
• Saver (noun): A person who saves money, or something that prevents waste.
  • She is a diligent saver. This coupon is a real money-saver.
• Saving (noun/adj): The act of rescuing or preserving; (as an adjective) reducing cost or waste.
  • The saving of the company's data was crucial. We bought it at a saving.
• Salvation (noun): The act of saving or being saved, especially from sin or spiritual harm.
  • Many religions offer a path to salvation.

Synonyms

• Rescued: Delivered from danger or confinement.
• Preserved: Kept safe from harm, decay, or loss.
• Redeemed (esp. spiritual): Saved from sin or error.
• Retrieved: Got or brought back; recovered.

Antonyms

• Lost: No longer possessed or unable to be found; spiritually damned.
• Doomed: Likely to suffer death, failure, or destruction.
• Destroyed: Put an end to by damaging or attacking.
• Wasted: Used or expended carelessly or to no purpose.

Related Phrases

• Saved the day: To resolve a serious problem and ensure success.
  • Her quick thinking saved the day when the projector failed.
• Save face: To avoid humiliation or preserve one's dignity.
  • He made a minor concession to allow his opponent to save face.
• Save for a rainy day: To save money or resources for a time of future need.
  • It's wise to save a portion of your income for a rainy day.

Adjective

1. guarded from injury or destruction
2. rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
   • a saved soul