1
a
: compensation paid for saving a ship or its cargo from the perils of the sea or for the lives and property rescued in a wreck
b
: the act of saving or rescuing a ship or its cargo
c
: the act of saving or rescuing property in danger (as from fire)
2
a
: property saved from destruction in a calamity (such as a wreck or fire)
b
: something extracted (as from rubbish) as valuable or useful
salvaged; salvaging
: to rescue or save especially from wreckage or ruin
Examples of salvage in a Sentence
Noun
The ship was beyond salvage.
the salvage from the wrecked ship
Verb
Divers salvaged some of the sunken ship's cargo.
Few of their possessions were salvaged from the fire.
He is trying to salvage his marriage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
Two of Reagan National’s runways – 15-33 and 4-22 – are closed during the ongoing salvage operation, the airport said Wednesday morning.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025
Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for salvage
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Noun
If Stanford whiffs on the hire, the salvage operation could be delayed indefinitely — with dire long-term consequences.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
Two of Reagan National’s runways – 15-33 and 4-22 – are closed during the ongoing salvage operation, the airport said Wednesday morning.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
Sources: The Wave, Progress Playbook, Nature Replacing demolition with deconstruction lowers cost and waste for a circular economy
In 2021 at an old hospital site, the city of Grenoble achieved 98% recovery of materials – from bricks to door frames – in France’s first big experiment in salvaging.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025
Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for salvage
Cite this Entry
“Salvage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvage. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
salvage
1 of 2 noun
sal·vage
ˈsal-vij 
1
: money paid for saving a wrecked or endangered ship or its cargo or passengers
2
: the act of saving a ship or possessions in danger of being lost
3
: something saved or recovered (as from a wreck or fire)
salvage
2 of 2 verb
salvaged; salvaging
: to rescue or save especially from wreckage or ruin
salvager
noun
Medical Definition
salvage
2 of 2 transitive verb
salvaged; salvaging
: to save (an organ, tissue, or patient) by preventive or therapeutic measures
a salvaged cancer patient
salvaged lung tissue
Legal Definition
salvage
noun
sal·vage
ˈsal-vij
1
a
: compensation paid for saving a ship or its cargo from the perils of the sea or for recovering it from an actual loss (as in a shipwreck)
b
: the act of saving or rescuing a ship or its cargo
c
: the act of saving or rescuing property in danger (as from fire)
2
a
: property saved from destruction (as in a wreck or fire)
b
: damaged property acquired by an insurer after payment for the loss compare abandonment sense 1d
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