survival
noun
sur·viv·al
sər-ˈvī-vəl 
often attributive
1
a
: the act or fact of living or continuing longer than another person or thing
b
: the continuation of life or existence
problems of survival in arctic conditions
2
: one that survives
Examples of survival in a Sentence
The refugees depend on foreign aid for their survival.
Small businesses are fighting for survival.
the survival of an old folktale
Recent Examples on the Web
That prickly sense of anxiety, constantly reading the tea leaves as a matter of survival, is just part of the ecosystem, like the blistering summer heat.
—
Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
If the wild rats were briefly rescued, however, their survival time extended dramatically, sometimes by days.
—Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
The line between ethical imperative and basic survival strategy has long since been chipped away.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
Willa was genetically diverse, compared with the current population, so it is hoped that introducing her genetic material through cloning will help increase the chances of this recovering species' survival.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for survival 
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Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
If the wild rats were briefly rescued, however, their survival time extended dramatically, sometimes by days.
—Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
The line between ethical imperative and basic survival strategy has long since been chipped away.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
Willa was genetically diverse, compared with the current population, so it is hoped that introducing her genetic material through cloning will help increase the chances of this recovering species' survival.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for survival
Dictionary Entries Near survival
Cite this Entry
“Survival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survival. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
survival
noun
sur·viv·al
sər-ˈvī-vəl
1
: the act or fact of living or continuing longer than another person or thing
survival of half the population after the epidemic
2
: a continuation of life despite difficult conditions
skills for survival in the desert
3
: one that survives
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