# live on

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/live-on
Updated: 2026-07-28

## Meaning

To continue to exist or endure — in memory, influence, or effect — long after the person or thing it came from is gone.

## Examples

- His music will live on for many years.
- These old family recipes live on in my kitchen today.
- Your kindness will live on in the hearts of your friends.
- Even though the old library is closing, the stories inside will live on in the memories of the community.
- The traditions of the small village live on through the annual festival that young people still organize every summer.
- Although the company failed, its innovative ideas live on in the new technology we use for our smartphones.
- Though the great leader has passed away, his vision for a peaceful society continues to live on through the work of his students.

## Origin

A transparent phrasal verb: the particle on carries its sense of continuation, as in carry on, go on, and hold on. To live on is simply to keep living — first literally, of someone who survives a hardship, then figuratively, of the memories, reputations, and traditions that outlast their source.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.