: 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
Deanna Pai, Allure, 18 Oct. 2024
Limit on poison Sodium nitrite is a preservative used often used in curing meats.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 1 July 2024
Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 17 Nov. 2024
The recalled product is also missing a preservative, which may allow microbial growth.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preservative 
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Adjective
Chemists and beauty consumers alike started wondering if the recalls were indicative of something bigger—revealing the weakness of preservative systems found in some beauty products today.
—Deanna Pai, Allure, 18 Oct. 2024
Limit on poison Sodium nitrite is a preservative used often used in curing meats.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 1 July 2024
Noun
In some cases, food products are treated with a litany of chemical preservatives that can likely be reduced.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 17 Nov. 2024
The recalled product is also missing a preservative, which may allow microbial growth.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preservative
Dictionary Entries Near preservative
Cite this Entry
“Preservative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preservative. Accessed 29 Nov. 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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