Meaning & use
savoring
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“savoring” is a form of “savor”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Enjoying something slowly and completely, especially food, drink, or an experience.
Grammar: Takes an object: savoring the meal. It can also be used as a gerund: Savoring the moment, she smiled.
Patterns
- savoring something
- savoring the moment
- savoring a taste
He sat by the window, savoring every bite of the cake.
They spent the afternoon savoring the warm sunshine.
She is savoring her victory after months of hard work.
noununcountable
The act of enjoying something slowly and completely.
Grammar: Used as a noun, often in phrases like 'the savoring of'.
Patterns
- the savoring of something
The savoring of a good meal is a pleasure in itself.
Mindful savoring can help you appreciate small joys.
Word forms
| third person singular | savors |
|---|---|
| past tense | savored |
| past participle | savored |
| -ing form | savoring |
Common combinations
- savoring the moment
- She closed her eyes, savoring the moment.
- savoring a flavor
- He took his time, savoring the rich flavor of the coffee.
- savoring every bite
- The children ate slowly, savoring every bite.
Synonyms and how they differ
- enjoying
- Enjoying is more general; savoring emphasizes doing it slowly and with full attention.
- relishing
- Relishing is close but often suggests greater enthusiasm or anticipation.
- appreciating
- Appreciating focuses on recognizing value, while savoring focuses on the sensory pleasure.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: savoring or saviour?
savoring vs saviour
Saviour (or savior) means a person who saves someone; savoring is about enjoying something slowly.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'savoring' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Savoring is the -ing form of savor, which takes a direct object like 'the soup'. The other options use incorrect verb patterns or tenses.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “savoring”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.