outlive
verb
out·live
ˌau̇t-ˈliv 
outlived; outliving; outlives
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
J. B. ConantExamples of outlive in a Sentence
No mother wants to outlive her children.
He outlived his wife by 10 years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, the Tibetan government in exile is a vibrant democracy that will outlive this Dalai Lama.
—Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Yet in other states, such Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and West Virginia, some of the nation’s shortest lifespans and lower costs of living still leave a gap, where people may outlive their savings, because incomes are also lower there.
—Roxana Popescu, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
Americans fear outliving their money as much as any other potential retirement setback, including failing health, according to a June report from the nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Advertisement The war has long outlived its cause, sustained only by the political needs of the man directing it.
—Yonatan Touval, Time, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outlive
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.
Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Yet in other states, such Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and West Virginia, some of the nation’s shortest lifespans and lower costs of living still leave a gap, where people may outlive their savings, because incomes are also lower there.
—Roxana Popescu, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
Americans fear outliving their money as much as any other potential retirement setback, including failing health, according to a June report from the nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Advertisement The war has long outlived its cause, sustained only by the political needs of the man directing it.
—Yonatan Touval, Time, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outlive
Cite this Entry
“Outlive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlive. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outlive
verb
out·live
(ˈ)au̇t-ˈliv
: to live longer than : outlast
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share