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

The birds and the bees Many animals have appearances that blend in with their surroundings for survival. — Connie Hanzhang Jin, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026

Mental health, studies show, tends to deteriorate rapidly as victims are forced into survival mode. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 7 Nov. 2026

The study’s authors suggested that maintaining these longer molecules may reflect the importance of dehydration resistance in arid environments, possibly helping their survival in extreme conditions. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026

The big-budget Korean disaster movie raises the stakes beyond just personal survival. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Nov. 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