From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsaving gracesaving graceGOOD POINT OR CHARACTERISTICthe one good thing that makes someone or something acceptable His sense of humour was his only saving grace. → save
Examples from the Corpus
saving grace• Yet if the current scientific consensus is correct, it has to be, and that may be its saving grace.• I think he was my saving grace.• There was one saving grace about sleeping in: traffic would be pretty light at this hour.• His only saving grace is his undying belief in the melodramatic.• I can't really play baseball. My one saving grace is that I can pitch.• I hate this house. Its only saving grace is that it's near the centre of town.• Their only saving grace is that they probably were an impetus towards social reform.• That was their saving grace, the only good thing about them.• The movie's only saving grace was its dazzling special effects.• The only saving grace was that the number Quinn had dictated down the line to Zack was still on the Kensington exchange.• The only saving grace was that there were no injuries except my pride. 