surviving 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of survivingnext
as in extant

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surviving

2 of 2

verb

present participle of survive
1
as in living
to come safely through the cat miraculously survived a two-story fall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lasting
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs some old-world customs still survive in modern-day America

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of surviving
Verb
The country's remaining population still appears to hold an important reservoir of genetic diversity, representing one of the last surviving populations outside Australia. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Soto Zea said that surviving Monday’s earthquake in Colombia after witnessing the devastation left behind in nearby Venezuela has left her feeling very nervous. — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026 The court also issued formal no-contact orders barring Erhart from contacting the surviving victims or family members. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The report does not say whether the surviving guide described failed creek crossings, though he was interviewed. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Rue is surviving, trying to find a path toward getting some money and working herself up in the world. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 The Silverton Medical Rescue team constructed a technical rope system to safely bring two surviving patients back to the road. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026 The result is that nighttime driving increasingly feels less like navigating through darkness and more like surviving a rolling photonics demonstration from the consumer electronics industry. — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 Sheridan's formidable character, Cody, is the most experienced (and vocal) at surviving this new, lethal style of warfare. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surviving
  1. extant
  2. living
  3. lasting
  4. existing
  5. weathering
  6. prevailing
  7. current
  8. enduring
Adjective
  • Thus far this century, several fundamental changes in the healthcare system have succeeded in getting passed in Congress, perhaps in part due to their working more or less within the confines of an extant system.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Red dwarfs are very volatile bodies, giving off enormous amounts of X-rays and ultraviolet energy, both of which can destroy extant life or prevent it from getting started in the first place.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 16 July 2026
Definition of extant
Verb
  • However, when the invite couple living upstairs from them — Hawk (Norton) and Piña (Cruz) — to dinner, the night takes a stranger turn with enigmatic couple than Joe and Angela expected.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • California’s notorious cost of living Hilton has promised to deliver $3 gas, slash utility bills by half and make Californians’ first $150,000 in earnings tax-free (an increase from his earlier proposal of $100,000).
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of living
Verb
  • Beginning Friday, and lasting into next weekend and beyond, a pattern change will set in, bringing a September feel to the Northeast that will feature much lower humidity levels, and highs in the upper 70s to low 80s.
    — Matthew Villafane, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Verlander spent just one season with the Giants in 2025 but left a lasting impact on Webb.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of lasting
Adjective
  • Autonomy is increasingly being treated as a means of changing how existing vehicles are used rather than simply as a new type of weapon.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Taking a pre-existing movie and branding it as a sequel to a totally unrelated Hollywood hit was common practice in Italy from the late 1970s until the mid-’90s.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of existing
Verb
  • This is no casual acquaintanceship but a soul-deep bond capable of weathering any storm or earthquake or hail of bullets life might throw its way.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Miami Marlins’ president of baseball operations knows his team has a shot at the playoffs this season, even after weathering the worst losing streak in franchise history in mid-July.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of weathering
Verb
  • This figure, higher than prevailing estimates, suggests more oil is reaching markets, explaining the surprisingly muted crude price spikes despite ongoing conflicts.
    — David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Across three seasons of TV, six feature-length films, and multiple DVD extras, the prevailing theme is that these guys love one another.
    — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of prevailing
Adjective
  • Such is a reality of a salary-cap — and in the Heat’s current case, hard-cap — league that forces choices.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • In April, the Department of Justice indicted 10 current and former Mexican officials, including a Morena party official, on charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of current
Verb
  • Ries advocates redesigning governance to prioritize stewardship, trust, and mission primacy, citing companies like Costco and Patagonia as examples of enduring success.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But in the multicam editing community, there’s no doubt about the form’s enduring value.
    — Leila Jordan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of enduring

Browse Nearby Words

survives
surviving
survivorship
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Cite this Entry

“Surviving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surviving. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on surviving

Nglish: Translation of surviving for Spanish Speakers

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