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well-preserved

well-preserved

4 4.1
A person who is still healthy and looks young for their age
  • adjective
  • /ˌwɛl prɪˈzɜrvd/
translation icon : bien conservado
  • Lola was remarkably well-preserved.
  • remarkably well-preserved
  • well-preserved tissue

Examples

  • Mostly retirees, though there are one or two well-preserved blond ladies who have jobs in the village.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Despite his age, Tom is surprisingly well-preserved, thanks to a healthy lifestyle.

  • You look so well preserved.

  • If you could see me, you'd be surprised how well-preserved I am

  • Bruges is the most well preserved medieval town in the whole of Belgium, apparently.

  • She's a well-preserved woman.

  • Towering over the concrete matchbox houses of the town of Al Jem, the well-preserved colosseum is one of the most impressive Roman monuments in Africa.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Above the tiny shop—we soldiers were its only customers—looms the heart of Ur, the best-preserved ziggurat in all of Iraq.

    Academic text (2011)
  • At 70 years old, she is a well-preserved woman who maintains her youthful appearance.

  • The actress is often praised for being well-preserved for someone in her fifties.

Synonyms

well-kept
vswell-preserved
7 1.8

Neat and in good condition because someone looks after it

focuses on health and appearance instead of neatness
kept up
vswell-preserved
5 3.0

People take care of it so it stays in good condition

is being healthy or looking good rather than just maintained
hale and hearty
vswell-preserved
2 4.6

Healthy and strong, especially for their age

is about good health or appearance rather than only physical strength

Antonyms

4 2.1

Damaged and showing signs of long use

5.1

Lower in quality or value than before

How Well-Preserved

pristine
63 5.1
well-preserved
4 4.1
worn
4 2.1
decrepit
9 6.6

Surface Forms

well-preserved positive

Morphology

well-preserved = preserved (semi-transparent) = well + preserve + ed

The prefix 'well-' modifies 'preserved' to indicate a high degree of preservation, but the specific meaning related to age and appearance is not entirely transparent.

Etymology

Well-preserved comes from well (meaning 'in a good way') and preserve (meaning 'to keep safe'). Imagine a jar of food kept fresh and whole; that's why someone who is well-preserved is said to be 'kept in good condition' for their age.