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.
Retirees must manage withdrawals carefully to avoid outliving their savings. Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026 Worried about outliving your retirement savings? Dan Avery,jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026 These identities often outlived any connection to social reality. Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026 The case has outlived the criminal prosecution of the man convicted last summer of the four murders. Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Feb. 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 5 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

outlive

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

More from Merriam-Webster on outlive

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