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

Researchers think this happens because swapping stories about social bonds, unexpected dangers and survival are advantageous for our evolution. — Hannah Little, Scientific American, 20 Sep. 2026

And maybe even part of survival was— figuring out strategies is also a kind of a stepping out. — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026

The survival thriller, directed by David Ayer, follows a Special Forces officer and his combat dog who, after a devastating plane crash, get stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Their survival depended not only on tools, but on movement, teaching and the collective preservation of knowledge. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 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