What does deliverance mean?
Deliverance is a noun meaning rescue or release from danger, captivity, suffering, or evil. It carries a distinctly elevated, often religious tone: people speak of praying for deliverance, seeking deliverance from oppression, or describing a dramatic rescue as an act of deliverance. The word derives from Old French delivrance, ultimately rooted in Latin, sharing ancestry with words such as liberate and liberty. A secondary, now largely formal or archaic, sense refers to the act of formally expressing or pronouncing something, as in the deliverance of a judgment. Because of its biblical associations and solemn connotation, deliverance suits literary, devotional, and rhetorical contexts far more than casual speech, where simpler terms like rescue or escape are usually preferred. Its power lies in evoking not just physical freedom but a broader salvation from affliction.
Rescue or liberation from danger, captivity, hardship, or evil.
"The hostages spoke tearfully of their deliverance after years in captivity."
Frequently used in religious contexts and fixed expressions such as "deliverance from evil."
The formal act of pronouncing or conveying something, such as an opinion or judgment (chiefly formal or archaic).
"The clerk recorded the deliverance of the verdict without comment."
Rarely used in the plural; the uncountable singular form is strongly preferred except when referring to multiple distinct instances of rescue or pronouncement, often in historical or literary writing.
"The psalms recount many deliverances wrought on behalf of the faithful."
"Deliver us from evil" — the most famous prayer in the English language ends with a plea for this very word's ancient promise of rescue.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of deliverance
Deliverance entered Middle English in the late medieval period from Old French delivrance, formed from the verb delivrer, meaning to set free or rescue. The French verb traces back through Late Latin to the Latin root liberare, "to free," which also gives English liberate, liberty, and liberal. Originally the word covered both physical rescue and the formal conveyance or pronouncement of things such as judgments, though the latter sense has faded into chiefly legal or archaic use.
How deliverance is actually used
The word carries a solemn, elevated register and strong religious resonance, appearing frequently in prayers, hymns, and literary prose rather than everyday conversation. In modern legal usage, "delivery" has largely replaced it for the sense of formally handing down a judgment.
Easily confused with deliverance
"Delivery" refers to the act of transporting goods, handing something over, or giving a speech, while "deliverance" means rescue or release from danger or bondage.