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 game, written by Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick, is a masterwork in modern survival horror.
—
Richard Newby, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
Thirty points for Premier League survival is the old 40.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The state is also open to such projects as:
Conducting golden eagle studies and surveys,
Evaluating suitable habitats and survival factors, and
Assessing effective management practices and deterrents.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Lee broke down the colors and the corresponding chakras below:
Red / Root Chakra
The root chakra governs our basic needs for survival, material needs, physical security and stability.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for survival
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.
Richard Newby, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
Thirty points for Premier League survival is the old 40.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The state is also open to such projects as:
Conducting golden eagle studies and surveys,
Evaluating suitable habitats and survival factors, and
Assessing effective management practices and deterrents.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Lee broke down the colors and the corresponding chakras below:
Red / Root Chakra
The root chakra governs our basic needs for survival, material needs, physical security and stability.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for survival
Cite this Entry
“Survival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survival. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share