outlive

verb

out·​live ˌau̇t-ˈliv How to pronounce outlive (audio)
outlived; outliving; outlives
Synonyms of outlivenext

transitive verb

1
: to live beyond or longer than
outlived most of his friends
outlive its usefulness
2
: to survive the effects of
Universities … outlive many political and social changes.J. B. Conant

Examples of outlive in a Sentence

No mother wants to outlive her children. He outlived his wife by 10 years.
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.
Worried about outliving your retirement savings? David McMillin, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026 An investment that made perfect sense at the time outlives its usefulness. Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2026 At 69, Fatou has far outlived most members of her species. Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026 And the fictional one will outlive me. Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outlive

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Cite this Entry

“Outlive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlive. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

outlive

verb
out·​live (ˈ)au̇t-ˈliv How to pronounce outlive (audio)
: to live longer than : outlast

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