survived; surviving
1
: to remain alive or in existence : live on
2
: to continue to function or prosper
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
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
To survive, pedal builders are doing something unusual in a competitive business: turning to one another for help.
—
Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
The measure narrowly survived the Senate after a marathon session ended with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote Tuesday.
—Caitlin Yilek
july 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
Had Owen survived the war, his return to his English village might have sparked an edgy comedy, a vicarage version of the era’s problem of how to keep ’em down on the farm.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Two, throughout the movie, the world’s population was formed by the overriding need to survive.
—Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for survive
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Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
The measure narrowly survived the Senate after a marathon session ended with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote Tuesday.
—Caitlin Yilek
july 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
Had Owen survived the war, his return to his English village might have sparked an edgy comedy, a vicarage version of the era’s problem of how to keep ’em down on the farm.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Two, throughout the movie, the world’s population was formed by the overriding need to survive.
—Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for survive
Cite this Entry
“Survive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survive. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
survive
verb
sur·vive
sər-ˈvīv 
survived; surviving
: to remain alive or in existence : live on
1
: to remain alive after the death of
his son survived him
2
: to continue to exist or live after
survived the stroke
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