Survive Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Published on September 30, 2025
Survive refers to continue to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship. e.g., Despite the harsh conditions, the explorers managed to survive.
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Survive Definitions
To remain in the memory or influence after someone's death.
His teachings have survived through the centuries.
To endure or withstand an adverse condition or event.
The ancient ruins survived many wars.
To keep alive or in existence; make last.
Traditions that have survived through generations.
To cope with (a trauma or setback); recover from.
She is learning to survive the loss of her husband.
To remain alive or in existence through or after a perilous situation.
He survived the shipwreck by clinging to a raft.
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In ecology, to continue living or growing despite environmental challenges.
Only the fittest plants survive in the desert.
In law, to remain valid or in effect after something else has ceased.
The rights in the contract survive the termination of the agreement.
To remain alive or in existence.
To carry on despite hardships or trauma; persevere
Families that were surviving in tents after the flood.
To remain functional or usable
I dropped the radio, but it survived.
To live longer than; outlive
She survived her husband by five years.
To live, persist, or remain usable through
Plants that can survive frosts.
A clock that survived a fall.
To cope with (a trauma or setback); persevere after
Survived child abuse.
(intransitive) Of a person, to continue to live; to remain alive.
(intransitive) Of an object or concept, to continue to exist.
(transitive) To live longer than; to outlive.
His children survived him; he was survived by his children.
(transitive) To live past a life-threatening event.
He did not survive the accident.
(transitive) To be a victim of usually non-fatal harm, to honor and empower the strength of an individual to heal, in particular a living victim of sexual abuse or assault.
Of a team, to avoid relegation or demotion to a lower division or league.
To live beyond the life or existence of; to live longer than; to outlive; to outlast; as, to survive a person or an event.
I'll assure her ofHer widowhood, be it that she survive me,In all my lands and leases whatsoever.
To remain alive; to continue to live.
Thy pleasure,Which, when no other enemy survives,Still conquers all the conquerors.
Alike are life and death,When life in death survives.
Continue to live; endure or last;
We went without water and food for 3 days
These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America
The racecar driver lived through several very serious accidents
Continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.);
He survived the cancer against all odds
Support oneself;
He could barely exist on such a low wage
Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?
Many people in the world have to subsist on $1 a day
Live longer than;
She outlived her husband by many years
To continue to function or prosper despite difficult circumstances.
The business survived the economic downturn.
To outlive; to live longer than someone else.
She survived all of her siblings.
To remain interested or engaged in something despite obstacles.
He survived the boredom of the lecture by doodling.
Survive Snonyms
Endure
To suffer something painful or difficult patiently.
They had to endure harsh weather conditions.
Withstand
To remain undamaged or unaffected by; resist.
The bridge withstood the flood.
Outlast
To last longer than; to survive by being more durable.
This brand tends to outlast its competitors.
Prevail
To prove more powerful or superior; triumph over adversity.
Justice prevailed in the end.
Sustain
To support, hold, or bear up from below; bear the weight of.
The beams sustain the weight of the roof.
Persevere
To continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty.
He persevered with his invention despite skepticism.
Outlive
To live longer than someone else or beyond a certain event.
He outlived all his classmates.
Weather
To come safely through a storm or other danger.
They weathered the crisis together.
Persist
To continue firmly or obstinately.
She persisted through her challenges and succeeded.
Overcome
To succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty.
She overcame her fear of heights.
Survive Idioms & Phrases
Survive the storm
To endure through a period of trouble or hardship.
The company survived the storm of the financial crisis.
Survive a scare
To continue to live after a frightening and dangerous experience.
She survived a scare when her car skidded on ice.
Survive against all odds
To continue to live or succeed even when success seems very unlikely.
She survived against all odds after her serious illness.
Survive on a shoestring
To manage to live or function with very little money.
Many students have to survive on a shoestring.
Survive by the skin of one's teeth
To barely manage to survive or succeed.
He survived the accident by the skin of his teeth.
Survive the test of time
To continue to be used, valued, or respected over a long period.
Classical music has survived the test of time.
Barely survive
To just manage to continue living or operating.
He barely survived after the layoffs at his job.
Survive by a whisker
To barely survive or succeed by a very narrow margin.
He survived the vote by a whisker.
Survive the cut
To not be eliminated in a selection process.
Only a few survived the cut for the team selection.
Survive on fumes
To continue functioning with very little resources or energy.
By the end of the race, he was surviving on fumes.
Survive the purge
To remain after many others have been removed or eliminated.
He survived the corporate purge that followed the merger.
Survive the odds
To succeed despite very low likelihood of success.
She survived the odds and recovered completely.
Survive Example Sentences
Many small businesses struggle to survive their first year.
If you want to survive in the wild, you need to learn how to find water.
She managed to survive in a highly competitive industry.
To survive the long winter, they stored plenty of food.
Some old traditions still survive in modern times.
Can our love survive the challenges ahead?
He is trying to survive on a very tight budget.
These plants can survive even in very dry conditions.
Common Curiosities
What is a stressed syllable in survive?
The stressed syllable in "survive" is the second one, "vive."
How many syllables are in survive?
Survive has two syllables.
Why is it called survive?
It is called "survive" from the Latin "supervivere," meaning "to live beyond."
How do we divide survive into syllables?
Survive is divided into syllables as: sur-vive.
What is the first form of survive?
The first form of survive is "survive."
How is survive used in a sentence?
Survive is used to express the action or fact of continuing to live or exist, especially under challenging conditions.
What is the pronunciation of survive?
Survive is pronounced as /sərˈvaɪv/.
What part of speech is survive?
Survive is a verb.
What is another term for survive?
Another term for survive is "endure."
What is the third form of survive?
The third form of survive is "survived."
What is the root word of survive?
The root word of survive is the Latin "vivere," meaning "to live."
Is survive a noun or adjective?
Survive is a verb.
Is survive an adverb?
No, survive is not an adverb.
Is survive a countable noun?
Survive is not a noun; it is a verb.
What is the verb form of survive?
Survive is itself a verb.
What is the singular form of survive?
Survive is already in its singular form.
What is the opposite of survive?
The opposite of survive is "perish."
Is the word survive Gerund?
No, "surviving" would be the gerund form of the verb survive.
Is the word “survive” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
The word "survive" is a verb, so it does not function as a direct or indirect object.
Which determiner is used with survive?
Determiners are not typically used directly with verbs like survive.
What is the second form of survive?
The second form of survive is "survived."
Is survive a vowel or consonant?
The word "survive" starts with a consonant.
Which conjunction is used with survive?
Conjunctions commonly used with survive might include "and," "but," and "or."
Which article is used with survive?
Articles are not used directly with verbs like survive.
What is the plural form of survive?
There is no plural form for the verb survive.
Is survive a collective noun?
No, survive is not a collective noun.
Is the word survive imperative?
The word "survive" can be used in the imperative form, as in commands or requests.
Which vowel is used before survive?
The letter "u" is the vowel used in the first syllable of survive.
Is survive an abstract noun?
No, survive is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is survive a negative or positive word?
Survive is generally considered a neutral or positive word, as it implies overcoming adversity.
Is the survive term a metaphor?
The term "survive" can be used metaphorically to describe enduring beyond expected limits.
Which preposition is used with survive?
Common prepositions used with survive include "through," "from," and "in."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
