VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

salvation

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/sælˈveɪʃn/
US/sælˈveɪʃən/

Meanings

  1. noununcountablereligion

    In religion, being saved from sin and its consequences, so that a person is accepted by God.

    Grammar: Uncountable and used without an or an: seek salvation.

    Patterns

    • salvation from sin
    • seek salvation
    • salvation through something

    The preacher spoke about salvation through faith.

    Many pilgrims traveled far hoping for salvation.

    Different churches teach different paths to salvation.

  2. noununcountable

    Protection or rescue from serious trouble, harm or loss, or the person or thing that brings it.

    Grammar: Can be followed by of for what is saved, or used with someone's for the rescuer: the bakery was her salvation.

    Patterns

    • the salvation of something
    • be someone's salvation
    • salvation from something

    The new contract was the salvation of the small factory.

    For the stranded hikers, the radio was their only salvation.

    A last-minute donation proved the salvation of the school's music program.

Common combinations

seek salvation
Many people seek salvation in prayer.
eternal salvation
The sermon promised eternal salvation.
be someone's salvation
The part-time job was his salvation after he lost his home.
economic salvation
Tourism offered the town economic salvation.
the salvation of
The treaty meant the salvation of the whole region.

Synonyms and how they differ

rescue
Rescue usually describes a physical act of getting someone out of danger, while salvation can be a lasting spiritual or general escape.
redemption
Redemption stresses being freed from guilt or a debt, often through a price paid, while salvation focuses on being saved from harm.
deliverance
Deliverance is more formal and stresses being freed from something oppressive.
lifeline
Lifeline is informal and describes the thing that helps someone survive, rather than the state of being saved.

Opposites

damnationruin

Word family

save verb
to keep from harm or danger
savior noun
a person who saves others from harm
saved adjective
rescued from sin or danger
salvage verb
to rescue something from loss or damage
salvational adjective
relating to salvation

Commonly confused: salvation or salvage? salvation or salivation?

salvation vs salvage

Salvage means to recover goods from damage or wreckage, while salvation is a rescue of people or a soul.

salvation vs salivation

Salivation is the production of saliva in the mouth and is a different, medical word.

Practice

The small bookshop was close to closing until a wealthy customer's order became its ___.

Make it your own

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

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words