survive

verb

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sur·vive | \ sər-ˈvīv

survived; surviving

Definition of survive

intransitive verb

1 : to remain alive or in existence : live on

2 : to continue to function or prosper

transitive verb

1 : to remain alive after the death of he is survived by his wife

2 : to continue to exist or live after survived the earthquake

3 : to continue to function or prosper despite : withstand they survived many hardships

Other Words from survive Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about survive

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Synonyms for survive

Synonyms

ride (out),
weather

Examples of survive in a Sentence

I don't see how any creature can survive under those conditions. bacteria that survive in extreme temperatures Only a few written records survive from those times. These ancient practices still survive in some regions. Some of the original bridges survive. Many businesses are struggling to survive in today's economy. Only his son survived him. She survived her husband by only a few years. He survived a political scandal and was elected to the state legislature. The company survived the recession.

Recent Examples on the Web Whether entrepreneurs can survive the closure, Gafill said, will depend largely on whether the road reopens for at least part of the summer high season. — Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, "Highway 1 through Big Sur will be repaired. How long that takes is unclear," 10 Feb. 2021 House Democrats are including a $15 federal minimum wage in their coronavirus relief package, though questions remain over whether the increase can survive Senate consideration. — Sarah Ewall-wice, CBS News, "House Democrats push ahead with $15 minimum wage hike in COVID relief package," 9 Feb. 2021 Bowling alley owners across Michigan are sounding the alarm over how much longer their businesses can survive on-again, off-again pandemic restrictions that ban indoor dining and limit who can bowl. — Karen Dybis, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan bowling alleys struggle, sue to survive during coronavirus pandemic," 20 Jan. 2021 In the case of outdoor plants that can’t be brought inside, Nemali suggests researching your plant hardiness zone and buying only plants that can survive in that zone’s winter climate. — London Gibson, The Indianapolis Star, "Scrub Hub: What should I do to keep my plants alive during the winter?," 12 Jan. 2021 But first, the NHL has to hope its schedule will hold up and that its season can survive outside of a bubble over an entire four-month slate. — Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, "Five Kings-Ducks games in 12 days? NHL announces its pandemic-altered schedule," 23 Dec. 2020 Similar mitochondrial gene losses are frequently seen in cancer cells, which is partly why malignant cells can often survive conditions that other cells wouldn’t. — Quanta Magazine, "The Mystery of Mistletoe’s Missing Genes," 21 Dec. 2020 The timing is such to allow water temperatures to cool sufficiently so the fish can survive. — Matt Williams, Dallas News, "Cooler Texas temperatures arrive in the nick of time for trout stocking," 18 Dec. 2020 Most digital devices will get swiftly destroyed under such conditions, which makes planning a robotic rover that can survive long-term a challenge. — Adam Mann, Wired, "The Steampunk Rover Concept That Could Help Explore Venus," 15 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'survive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.