What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
outlived
Example
My grandmother has outlived all of her siblings. [outlived: verb]
Example
The company has outlived several economic downturns. [outlived: verb]
survive
Example
The hiker survived a week in the wilderness with limited supplies. [survived: verb]
Example
The small business survived the pandemic by pivoting to online sales. [survived: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Survive is more commonly used than outlived in everyday language, as it covers a wider range of contexts and can be used in both present and past tenses.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between outlived and survive?
Both outlived and survive are relatively neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
