survive

[sərˈvaɪv]

survive Definition

  • 1to continue to live or exist, especially after coming close to dying or being destroyed
  • 2to remain alive or in existence after a difficult or dangerous experience

Using survive: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "survive" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    He survived the car crash with minor injuries.

  • Example

    The company managed to survive the economic recession.

  • Example

    The plant has survived for over a century.

  • Example

    She barely survived the attack.

survive Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for survive

Idioms Using survive

  • live to tell the tale

    to survive a dangerous or difficult experience and be able to talk about it afterwards

    Example

    Despite the plane crash, everyone on board lived to tell the tale.

  • to struggle to stay alive or in existence

    Example

    The small business was fighting for survival in a highly competitive market.

  • to only just manage to survive or succeed in something

    Example

    He survived the avalanche by the skin of his teeth.

Phrases with survive

  • a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory, referring to the idea that organisms that are best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce

    Example

    The concept of survival of the fittest is often used in business to describe competition between companies.

  • to only just manage to stay alive or in existence

    Example

    The small business barely survived the first year, but it eventually became profitable.

  • to be able to live or exist only by means of a particular thing or in a particular way

    Example

    Many people in poverty survive on very little food and water.

Origins of survive

from Latin 'supervivere', meaning 'to live beyond' or 'outlive'

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Summary: survive in Brief

To 'survive' [sərˈvaɪv] is to continue living or existing, especially after a difficult or dangerous experience. It can refer to physical survival, as in 'He survived the car crash,' or to the survival of a business or other entity, as in 'The company managed to survive the economic recession.' 'Survive' is often used in phrases like 'survival of the fittest' and idioms like 'live to tell the tale,' which means to survive a dangerous experience.

How do native speakers use this expression?