safe
1 of 2adjective
ˈsāf 
safer; safest
1
: free from harm or risk : unhurt
2
a
: secure from threat of danger, harm, or loss
b
: successful at getting to a base in baseball without being put out
3
: affording safety or security from danger, risk, or difficulty
4
obsolete, of mental or moral faculties : healthy, sound
5
a
: not threatening danger : harmless
b
: unlikely to produce controversy or contradiction
6
a
: not likely to take risks : cautious
b
: trustworthy, reliable
safe adverb
or safely
safeness noun
safe
2 of 2noun
1
: a place or receptacle to keep articles (such as valuables) safe
2
: condom sense 1
Synonyms
Adjective
- all right
- alright
- secure
Noun
- coffer
- safe-deposit box
- strongbox
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective I don't feel safe in this neighborhood. The kids were safe in the cabin. We need to make sure that the children are safe and sound. “Is the money safe?” “Yes, it's in the bank.” a world made safe from war Is it safe to walk here? He wished us a safe trip. I found a safe place to take shelter from the storm. They live in a perfectly safe neighborhood. We watched the fireworks from a safe distance. Noun the hotel recommended that we keep all our valuables in its safe during our stay See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Fortune, 17 Feb. 2023 Aparton said that consulting with the San Francisco Zoo to figure out whether the lagoon can be safe for swans will come first, and then, perhaps, the next generation of big white birds will appear at the Palace of Fine Arts. —Susan Orlean, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2023 The employees, who were doing water work, didn’t feel safe, Vicino said. —Dakota Smithstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2023 Real Milk Paint lists its paint as zero-VOC, biodegradable, compostable, and safe for children's furniture and toys. —Elizabeth Sweet, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2023 Make sure your team feels safe to express themselves. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 My grandfather, like hers, only felt safe when he was cocooned within his community, his church, his beloved family. —Deborah Johnson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2023 The removable cooking bowl is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. —Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 13 Feb. 2023 Birds sometimes swoop down and crash into photovoltaic solar panels—possibly thinking the glass is water that is safe for landing. —Emma Foehringer Merchant, WIRED, 11 Feb. 2023 Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023 It's made from leather, but the inside features cotton lining to keep all of her essential safe. —Cailey Lindberg, Good Housekeeping, 12 Dec. 2022 The classified files were found Jan. 16 and placed in a secure safe until they could be returned to proper authorities, according to Pence’s lawyer, Greg Jacob. —John Fritze, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2023 Taylor recommends using a fireproof safe to store your cash. —Time, 21 Jan. 2023 After getting all the bonds out of the three safes, Leo goes back to the final safe to frame Roger Salas for the whole operation. —Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 5 Jan. 2023 According to the police report, the items taken included a red iPhone, a black safe, $3,300 in cash, a silver Audi Q3 sedan and a blue-faced Rolex watch valued at $12,000. —Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2022 Traynor’s lab had to buy a new safe during their approval process, and received many in-person visits from local DEA officers. —Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2022 But the effort to keep the public safe also meant shuttering schools and squeezing people's ability to make a living. —Tony Dokoupil, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2022 See More
Adjective
The leadership playground is where people feel safe to evoke certain behaviors. —Fortune, 17 Feb. 2023 Aparton said that consulting with the San Francisco Zoo to figure out whether the lagoon can be safe for swans will come first, and then, perhaps, the next generation of big white birds will appear at the Palace of Fine Arts. —Susan Orlean, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2023 The employees, who were doing water work, didn’t feel safe, Vicino said. —Dakota Smithstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2023 Real Milk Paint lists its paint as zero-VOC, biodegradable, compostable, and safe for children's furniture and toys. —Elizabeth Sweet, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2023 Make sure your team feels safe to express themselves. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 My grandfather, like hers, only felt safe when he was cocooned within his community, his church, his beloved family. —Deborah Johnson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2023 The removable cooking bowl is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. —Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 13 Feb. 2023 Birds sometimes swoop down and crash into photovoltaic solar panels—possibly thinking the glass is water that is safe for landing. —Emma Foehringer Merchant, WIRED, 11 Feb. 2023 Noun
Inside is an original safe that was used storing raw materials that would be manufactured into Hamilton watches. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023 It's made from leather, but the inside features cotton lining to keep all of her essential safe. —Cailey Lindberg, Good Housekeeping, 12 Dec. 2022 The classified files were found Jan. 16 and placed in a secure safe until they could be returned to proper authorities, according to Pence’s lawyer, Greg Jacob. —John Fritze, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2023 Taylor recommends using a fireproof safe to store your cash. —Time, 21 Jan. 2023 After getting all the bonds out of the three safes, Leo goes back to the final safe to frame Roger Salas for the whole operation. —Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 5 Jan. 2023 According to the police report, the items taken included a red iPhone, a black safe, $3,300 in cash, a silver Audi Q3 sedan and a blue-faced Rolex watch valued at $12,000. —Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2022 Traynor’s lab had to buy a new safe during their approval process, and received many in-person visits from local DEA officers. —Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2022 But the effort to keep the public safe also meant shuttering schools and squeezing people's ability to make a living. —Tony Dokoupil, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English sauf, from Anglo-French salf, sauf, from Latin salvus safe, healthy; akin to Latin solidus solid, Greek holos whole, safe, Sanskrit sarva entire
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing safe
Kids Definition
safe
1 of 2 adjective ˈsāf
safer; safest
1
: freed or secure from danger, harm, or loss
2
: successful at getting to a base in baseball without being put out
the runner was safe
3
: providing safety
4
: not threatening danger
safe medicine
5
a
: cautious
a safe driver
b
: trustworthy
safely adverb
safeness noun
safe
2 of 2 noun : a container to keep articles (as valuables) safe
Medical Definition
safe
adjective ˈsāf
safer; safest
: not causing harm or injury
especially : having a low incidence of adverse reactions and significant side effects when adequate instructions for use are given and having a low potential for harm under conditions of widespread availability
a list of drugs generally regarded as safe
safe use in pregnancy has not been established —Emergency Medicine
Emergency Medicine safety
ˈsāf-tē
noun plural safeties
safe 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in secure
not exposed to the threat of loss or injury the minute the rain started, we looked for a place where we would be safe from a drenching downpour Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- secure
- alright
- well
- unharmed
- intact
- sound
- healthy
- all right
- home free
- hale
- unhurt
- unscathed
- uninjured
- whole
- scatheless
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unsafe
- vulnerable
- open
- liable
- susceptible
- subject (to)
- insecure
- exposed
- threatened
- endangered
- imperiled
- violable
- injured
- damaged
- hurt
- imperilled
- wounded
- harmed
- scathed
2
as in protected
providing safety we tried to find a safe place to hide our valuables while we went swimming Synonyms & Similar Words
- secure
- protected
- protecting
- sheltered
- snug
- sheltering
- safeguarding
- guarded
- guarding
- shielding
- shielded
- defended
- invulnerable
- inviolable
- unassailable
- impregnable
- unconquerable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dangerous
- hazardous
- unsafe
- risky
- insecure
- perilous
- vulnerable
- threatening
- unprotected
- menacing
- uncertain
- precarious
- treacherous
- unguarded
- parlous
- undefended
- minatory
3
as in uncontroversial
unlikely to provoke controversy or offense when chatting with strangers, she prefers to stick to safe topics such as the weather Synonyms & Similar Words
- uncontroversial
- positive
- noncontroversial
- certain
- politically correct
- definite
- sure
- unquestionable
- indisputable
- incontestable
- incontrovertible
- irrefutable
- undeniable
- indubitable
- uncontested
- undisputed
- hands-down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- controversial
- doubtful
- questionable
- debatable
- arguable
- contestable
- moot
- controvertible
- disputable
- disputed
- hot-button
- doubtable
- debated
4
as in cautious
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble rewarded safe drivers with lower insurance rates Synonyms & Similar Words
- cautious
- careful
- wary
- alert
- guarded
- circumspect
- considerate
- heedful
- vigilant
- conservative
- chary
- gingerly
- watchful
- thoughtful
- attentive
- awake
- regardful
- slow
- deliberate
- advertent
- observant
- forethoughtful
- hypercautious
- foresighted
- provident
- calculating
- canny
- foresightful
- shrewd
- ultracareful
- cagey
- ultracautious
- cagy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unsafe
- careless
- reckless
- regardless
- unguarded
- unmindful
- bold
- heedless
- rash
- impetuous
- negligent
- unwary
- venturesome
- inattentive
- thoughtless
- asleep
- brash
- lax
- incautious
- neglectful
- imprudent
- inconsiderate
- indiscreet
- remiss
- injudicious
- inadvertent
- forgetful
- unintentional
- unplanned
- absentminded
5
as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt that pain reliever is safe for most people to take Synonyms & Similar Words
- harmless
- benign
- healthy
- innocent
- innocuous
- inoffensive
- white
- sound
- anodyne
- healthful
- gentle
- mild
- trustworthy
- hurtless
- wholesome
- salubrious
- benignant
- gracious
- nontoxic
- nonthreatening
- unobjectionable
- painless
- noncorrosive
- nonpolluting
- nonpoisonous
- nondestructive
- nonlethal
- noninfectious
- nonfatal
- nonvenomous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dangerous
- harmful
- bad
- ill
- detrimental
- adverse
- evil
- damaging
- injurious
- wicked
- unsafe
- prejudicial
- deleterious
- hazardous
- poisonous
- noxious
- hurtful
- risky
- mischievous
- pernicious
- threatening
- baneful
- perilous
- sinister
- ominous
- menacing
- baleful
- venomous
- unsound
- nocuous
- unhealthy
- painful
- unhealthful
- unwholesome
- lethal
- deadly
- offensive
- nasty
- fatal
- destructive
- ruinous
- parlous
- jeopardizing
- imperilling
- imperiling
- scathing
- polluted
- malignant
- noxious
- insidious
- noisome
- tainted
- wounding
- pestilent
6
as in reliable
worthy of one's trust she always offers safe advice Synonyms & Similar Words
- reliable
- responsible
- good
- true
- secure
- steady
- solid
- dependable
- trustworthy
- sure
- loyal
- tried
- trustable
- calculable
- strong
- trusty
- fast
- constant
- faithful
- effective
- devoted
- steadfast
- tried-and-true
- honest
- proven
- sound
- sincere
- valid
- staunch
- infallible
- stanch
- validated
- bedrock
- firm
- telling
- guiltless
- unerring
- blameless
- authenticated
- faultless
- confirmed
- verified
- irreproachable
- unquestionable
- impeccable
- unimpeachable
- true-blue
- single-minded
- attested
- inerrant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unsafe
- uncertain
- unreliable
- untrustworthy
- treacherous
- false
- untrue
- undependable
- hazardous
- uncertain
- risky
- unfaithful
- disloyal
- faithless
- doubtful
- problematic
- lying
- questionable
- perfidious
- traitorous
- fickle
- dodgy
- inconstant
- dishonest
- deceitful
- dubious
- problematical
- shady
- shaky
- unsound
- untruthful
- debatable
- suspect
- fishy
- mendacious
- disputable
- recreant
- untried
- unconfirmed
- doubtable
safe
2 of 2noun
as in vault
a specially reinforced container to keep valuables safe the hotel recommended that we keep all our valuables in its safe during our stay Synonyms & Similar Words
- vault
- strongbox
- safe-deposit box
- locker
- box
- coffer
- trunk
- lockbox
- treasury
- storeroom
- chest
- case
- casket
- caddy
- footlocker