rescue
verb
res·cue
ˈre-(ˌ)skyü 
rescued; rescuing
: to free from confinement, danger, or evil : save, deliver
They were rescued from the burning building by firefighters.
… a volunteer group that rescues and nurtures injured and orphaned wildlife …—
Australian Geographic
Australian Geographic(figurative) … the acanthus leaf into which the light fixture on the hall ceiling is set was rescued from a curbside trash heap.—Barbara Deane
: such as
Barbara Deane
a
: to take (someone, such as a prisoner) forcibly from custody
b
: to recover (something, such as a prize) by force
c
: to deliver (a place under siege) by armed force
rescue
noun
Historians are wary of the notion that, at a critical point in history, a heroic figure, galloping to the rescue, snatches victory from the jaws of defeat …
—James MacGregor Burns
James MacGregor Burns
rescuer
noun
Examples of rescue in a Sentence
The survivors were rescued by the Coast Guard.
an all-out effort to rescue a beached whale
Recent Examples on the Web
Mora scored twice against Spain to rescue a draw in the group stage, first skipping into the box after a nutmeg and a neat one-two and curling into the corner before a snapshot volley at the far post.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
When they were rescued, the family suffered from smoke inhalation, burns, and exposure, Hyannis Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Lamothe told the Cape Cod Times.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Dozens of people also have had to be rescued in Kyiv after Russian drones and debris struck their high-rise apartment buildings.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
Two hikers who were struck by lightning at the top of Humphreys Peak near Flagstaff have been rescued, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office confirmed.
—Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rescue
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Thom Harris, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
When they were rescued, the family suffered from smoke inhalation, burns, and exposure, Hyannis Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Lamothe told the Cape Cod Times.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Dozens of people also have had to be rescued in Kyiv after Russian drones and debris struck their high-rise apartment buildings.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
Two hikers who were struck by lightning at the top of Humphreys Peak near Flagstaff have been rescued, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office confirmed.
—Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rescue
Cite this Entry
“Rescue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rescue. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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