English pronunciation · Words Starting with P
Preserve Pronunciation
Preserve is pronounced pruh-ZURV, IPA /prəˈzɝv/.
pruh-ZURV
US /prəˈzɝv/ · UK /prɪˈsɜːv/
Syllables: pruh · ZURV (2 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
verb and noun: To keep something from being lost or spoiled, or a jam made by doing so.
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Preserve in a Sentence
- Salt was the only way to preserve meat through the winter.
- The trust exists to preserve the building.
- She sells damson preserve at the market.
Common Mispronunciations of Preserve
Not pri-SURV
That middle s buzzes to a z for most speakers, exactly as it does in reserve and observe.
Not PRE-zurv
Preserve rhymes with serve, and the push belongs on that second half of the word.
Tip: The British dictionary entry prints a hissed s here, pri-SURV, though the buzzed z is what you will mostly hear.
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