outlive

verb

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

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 changesJ. 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.
Samuel Adams also outlived his. Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025 If the spouse with the lower amount outlives the higher earner, the surviving spouse will receive the higher benefit. Medora Lee, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025 For example, some birds of prey did not conform to the male advantage among birds, with female falcons and hawks in zoos outliving their male counterparts, according to the study. Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 Hart had a brilliant but too-short run; Godard outlived nearly all his contemporaries and became one of the world’s most important filmmakers. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025 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 15 Oct. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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