salvage

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "salvage" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as a verb meaning "to save or rescue (someone or something) from a difficult or dangerous situation". For example, "The rescuers were able to salvage the cargo ship that had been stranded in the storm".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Back in Georgetown, waiting for a taxi to the airport, we do a last-minute dash around the street stalls: all I salvage are an oil painting of the Kaieteur Falls (a rather Surrealist interpretation), a shell necklace, a woven basket and as much El Dorado rum as possible, before the plane carries us to a connecting flight at Barbados, and the waters change from brown to a shock of bright blue.

The Guardian - Travel

Brighton needed a late equaliser even to salvage a point in their 1-1 home draw with struggling Ipswich.

The Guardian - Sport

So I feel that the only course open to Cantona which could possibly salvage his career in this country would be, first, an admission of guilt, and second, an unequivocal and genuine apology.

The Guardian - Sport

Hardy made a valiant attempt to try and salvage the situation, but Hawley was long gone.

The Guardian

The man who had already picked up more Oscars than anyone on stage was there as guest of honour: Willie Fulgear, the 61-year-old freelance salvage worker who found 52 of the 55 stolen Oscars in LA's Koreatown last week, looked more of a star with his snappy fedora than many of the real ones.

The Guardian

Garcia, who works for the US law firm Kirkland & Ellis, has been scrabbling to salvage his reputation ever since the Eckert summary was released and widely condemned.

The Guardian - Sport

The 67-year-old German, brought out of retirement to try to salvage UBS in 2009, refused to comment to reporters as he left the lengthy meeting which had been scheduled to finish on the Friday.

The Guardian - Business

Yet even now, amid the rancour at Hillsborough, Sinn Féin still appears to want to salvage the present power-sharing government.

The Guardian

The Irish southpaw who captured the WBO middleweight championship in December came off the canvas twice on Saturday to salvage a split draw against Peter Quillin in a 12-round fight at Barclays Center.

The Guardian - Sport

The government has quite a difficult choice here: agree to the Labor amendments and salvage at least some of the proposal, or run the gauntlet of an unpredictable Senate.

The Guardian

Republicans said it would now be up to Obama to salvage the bill if he wanted to see his trade agenda through.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "salvage" when you want to convey the idea of rescuing or recovering something from a situation that could lead to loss or damage. It's often used in contexts involving ships, property, or even reputations.

Common error

Avoid using "salvage" when the situation is beyond recovery. "Salvage" implies that there's still something to be saved or recovered. If the loss is total, consider using terms like 'assess the damage' or 'learn from the experience' instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "salvage" is as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, it describes the act of recovering or rescuing something from a potentially harmful or wasteful situation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

28%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Reference

8%

Wiki

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "salvage" is a versatile term used to describe rescuing or recovering something from a situation of potential loss or damage. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely applicable. Its usage spans from news and business to scientific contexts, indicating its relevance across various domains. While synonyms like "recover", "rescue", and "retrieve" exist, "salvage" uniquely emphasizes the effort to preserve value or functionality amidst adversity. Remember to use it when there's still a possibility of recovery, avoiding its application in scenarios of complete and irreversible loss.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

save

A general term for preventing loss or waste, encompassing various contexts beyond just physical objects.

recover

Focuses on regaining something lost or damaged, differing slightly from preventing total loss.

rescue

Implies immediate danger and saving from it, unlike "salvage" which can also mean saving from potential waste.

recoup

Specifically relates to regaining something lost, often in a financial or material sense.

retrieve

Highlights the act of finding and bringing back something, often after it's been lost or misplaced.

redeem

Implies restoring honor or value to something that has been discredited or diminished.

reclaim

Emphasizes restoring something to a previous condition or state.

make the most of

Suggests optimizing a situation that might not be ideal, emphasizing a positive outcome.

extract value from

Focuses on obtaining benefit or worth from something, even if it's in a degraded state.

turn around

Focuses on reversing a negative trend or situation, suggesting a complete change in direction.

FAQs

How can I use "salvage" in a sentence?

You can use "salvage" to describe rescuing a ship, as in "The crew worked to salvage the ship after the storm". It can also refer to recovering something from a bad situation, such as "He tried to salvage his reputation after the scandal".

What words can I use instead of "salvage"?

Alternatives to "salvage" include "recover", "rescue", "retrieve", and "reclaim", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to use "salvage" in a metaphorical sense?

Yes, "salvage" can be used metaphorically to describe rescuing or recovering something intangible, such as a relationship or a career. For example, "She tried to salvage her failing marriage".

What is the difference between "salvage" and "rescue"?

"Salvage" often implies recovering something of value from a situation of loss or damage, while "rescue" typically refers to saving someone or something from immediate danger. "Salvage" can also refer to the property that is saved.