survival

noun

sur·​viv·​al sər-ˈvī-vəl How to pronounce survival (audio)
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
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.
After Survivor, Wesson built a cabin in the woods of North Carolina, occasionally teaching survival classes. Ale Russian, People.com, 22 May 2025 Even some profoundly autistic children can master survival basics with as little as eight hours of aquatic occupational therapy, said Michele Alaniz, a practitioner who published research based on her work at Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare in Pomona, California. Jennifer Peltz, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 May 2025 Researchers compared tropical wind field data with more than 1.6 million infant survival records. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 May 2025 These adaptations — due to structural and functional differences in two types of proteins — demonstrate that the microbe has developed mechanisms to aid survival in the extremes of the space environment, according to the paper. Andrew Jones, Space.com, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for survival

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of survival was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Survival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survival. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

survival

noun
sur·​viv·​al sər-ˈvī-vəl How to pronounce survival (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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