: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
specifically
: an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage
Examples of preservative in a Sentence
Noun
This food does not contain any artificial preservatives.
The wood was treated with preservative.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 26 Mar. 2024
That’s largely due to the preservative properties of salt, which is abundant in the mine.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for preservative 
Adjective
That’s because more expensive soy sauces typically lack the preservative, sodium benzoate, that more common grocery-store soy sauces use to extend shelf life.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 26 Mar. 2024
That’s largely due to the preservative properties of salt, which is abundant in the mine.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for preservative
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preservative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near preservative
Cite this Entry
“Preservative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preservative. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preservative
1 of 2 adjective
pre·ser·va·tive
pri-ˈzər-vət-iv 
: having the power of preserving
preservative
2 of 2 noun
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
especially
: a substance added to food to prevent spoiling or discoloring
Medical Definition
preservative
noun
pre·ser·va·tive
pri-ˈzər-vət-iv
: something that preserves or has the power of preserving
specifically
: an additive used to protect against decay, discoloration, or spoilage
a food preservative
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