conservation

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Looking after forests, wildlife, water and other natural resources so they are used wisely and not wasted or destroyed.

   Grammar: No plural and no article needed: conservation is vital, not a conservation.

   Patterns

   • conservation of something
   • conservation efforts

   The charity works on the conservation of wetland birds.

   Water conservation became a daily habit during the long drought.

   Local farmers joined a conservation program to protect the river.

2. 2noununcountable

   The careful repair and protection of old buildings, artworks or documents so they last as long as possible.

   Grammar: Used for heritage work: the conservation of a painting, not a conservation painting.

   Patterns

   • conservation of something
   • conservation work

   Conservation of the medieval manuscript took almost two years.

   The museum hired a specialist in textile conservation.

   Funding for building conservation was cut this spring.

3. 3noununcountablephysicstechnical

   In science, the principle that a quantity such as energy or mass stays the same in a closed system.

   Grammar: Usually followed by of plus the quantity: conservation of energy.

   Patterns

   • conservation of energy
   • conservation of mass

   Conservation of energy explains why the swing never rises higher than where it started.

   The students tested the conservation of momentum with two colliding carts.

Common combinations

wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation depends on protecting large areas of habitat.

energy conservation

Energy conservation can lower a household's bills.

conservation area

The village center is a conservation area, so owners need permission to change their windows.

conservation efforts

Conservation efforts have helped the whale population recover.

soil conservation

Soil conservation methods include planting trees along slopes.

Synonyms and how they differ

preservation

Preservation stresses keeping something exactly as it is, while conservation allows careful, sustainable use.

protection

Protection is a broader word for shielding anything from harm, whereas conservation points to long-term care of resources or heritage.

safeguarding

Safeguarding sounds more official and is common for rules and policies, while conservation describes the hands-on care itself.

Opposites

Word family

conserve verb

to use carefully and protect from loss

conservationist noun

a person who works to protect nature or heritage

conservator noun

a specialist who repairs and protects artworks or objects

conservative adjective

preferring to keep things as they are; cautious

Commonly confused: conservation or preservation?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “conservation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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