survive

verb

sur·​vive sər-ˈvīv How to pronounce survive (audio)
survived; surviving
Synonyms of survivenext

intransitive verb

1
: to remain alive or in existence : live on
2
: to continue to function or prosper

transitive verb

1
: to remain alive after the death of
he is survived by his wife
2
: to continue to exist or live after
survived the earthquake
3
: to continue to function or prosper despite : withstand
they survived many hardships
survivor
sər-ˈvī-vər How to pronounce survive (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of survive in a Sentence

I don't see how any creature can survive under those conditions. bacteria that survive in extreme temperatures Only a few written records survive from those times. These ancient practices still survive in some regions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mogen, Kernodle, Goncalves and two other women who survived lived at the off-campus home on Kings Road. — Phil Helsel, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2025 Though Alaska State Troopers had been unable to assess the site, spokesperson Austin McDaniel said troopers do not believe the three skiers survived. — Mark Thiessen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025 To survive, companies must be: Agile Fast-moving Decentralized in decision-making This means pushing power away from the center and toward the front lines—empowering middle managers and frontline employees to think creatively and act decisively. — Greg Orme, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 Yet Trump is making the same mistake as Vladimir Putin—grossly underestimating Ukraine as a sovereign nation determined to survive. — Illia Ponomarenko, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for survive

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to outlive, from Anglo-French survivre, from Latin supervivere, from super- + vivere to live — more at quick entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of survive was in the 15th century

Rhymes for survive

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Browse Nearby Words

survive
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Cite this Entry

“Survive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survive. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

survive

verb
sur·​vive sər-ˈvīv How to pronounce survive (audio)
survived; surviving
1
: to remain alive : continue to exist
2
: to remain alive after the death of
survived by three children
3
: to continue to exist or live after
survived the flood
survivor
-ˈvī-vər How to pronounce survive (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

survive

verb
sur·​vive sər-ˈvīv How to pronounce survive (audio)
survived; surviving

intransitive verb

: to remain alive or in existence : live on

transitive verb

1
: to remain alive after the death of
his son survived him
2
: to continue to exist or live after
survived the stroke
survival
-ˈvī-vəl How to pronounce survive (audio)
noun
survivor
-ˈvī-vər How to pronounce survive (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on survive

Nglish: Translation of survive for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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