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

But De Zerbi needed to do more than say the right words and take the players out for dinner to ensure their survival. —Jay Harris, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Inside one classroom, dozens of teenage girls sit listening to instructors explain emergency survival skills. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026

The implication is that the consulting industry’s survival isn’t threatened by AI per se — it’s threatened by consulting firms that mistake access to AI for expertise itself. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 May 2026

Season 5 of All the Queen’s Men is a season of survival and loyalty. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 26 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing survival

• chance of survival
• survival instinct
• survival mechanism
• survival of the fittest

Rhymes for survival

• archival
• arrival
• revival
• conjunctival
• rival
• subconjunctival

Kids 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