DictionaryAI

survive

verb
sur-VYV/sɚˈvaɪv/UKsuh-VYV/səˈvaɪv/

Formssurvives, surviving, survived

5 meanings of survive

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive or intransitive
    To stay alive, especially through or after something dangerous like an accident, illness, or operation.

    Like a candle that keeps burning even in a strong wind.

    She survived the car accident with only a broken arm.

    Some plants can survive with very little water.

    UsageSay you survived the crash, with no word in between, or survived on little food.

    Oppositedie, perish

  2. 2
    still existverbintransitive
    To keep existing over a long period of time.

    Like an old song that people still sing today.

    A few old customs still survive in the village.

    Only one copy of the original book survived.

    UsageOften said as survive to this day.

    Similarremain, endure, persist, last

    Oppositevanish, disappear

  3. 3
    live longerverbtransitive
    To keep living after another person dies, or to last longer than something.

    Like a tree still standing after the people who planted it are gone.

    She survived her husband by twenty years.

    The old oak will survive us all.

    UsageA notice of a death says someone is survived by their family.

    Similaroutlive, outlast

    Oppositepredecease

    Note
  4. 4
    verbintransitive
    To live through abuse, illness, or disaster and keep going with your life.

    Like a tree that grows new branches after a storm breaks the old ones.

    She survived years of bullying and now helps other kids who are bullied.

    Many people who survive abuse go on to build happy lives.

    UsagePeople often say not just survive but thrive.

    Similarcope, endure

    Oppositesuccumb

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 5
    stay in leagueverbintransitive
    When a sports team stays in its league instead of dropping to a lower one.

    Like staying in a game instead of being sent down a level.

    The team needed one more win to survive this season.

    Our team survived relegation with a big win on the last day.

    UsageOften said as narrowly survive or just survive.

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of survive apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin words meaning "over" (super) and "to live" (vivere), so "to outlive." It came into English through French.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts