# survival

/sɝˈvaɪvəɫ/ (US) · /səvˈaɪvəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/survival
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. staying alive

noun · CEFR B2

the state of continuing to live through a dangerous or difficult time.

For teachers: the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, especially after a life-threatening event or within a harsh environment.

- The hikers carried a small kit to help with their survival in the mountains.
- The doctors were amazed by his survival after he spent three days trapped under the rubble of the collapsed building.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun or as an attributive noun in phrases like 'survival skills'.

### 2. staying in a league

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

when a sports team manages to stay in the same league instead of being moved to a lower one.

For teachers: the avoidance of relegation or demotion to a lower division in a competitive sports league.

- The team needs a win in their final game to ensure their survival in the top league.
- The club's survival was finally secured on the last day of the season thanks to a late goal from their captain.

Usage: Commonly used in the context of professional football leagues.

### 3. cultural persistence

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

a custom or belief from the past that people still follow, even if they forgot why it started.

For teachers: a vestigial cultural trait, custom, or belief that has persisted from an earlier stage of society despite losing its original function.

- Saying 'bless you' after a sneeze is a survival from a time when people feared for their souls.
- Anthropologists often study these folk traditions as survivals of pre-industrial social structures that no longer serve a practical purpose.

Usage: In this sense, the noun is typically countable.

## Examples

- The hikers carried extra water for their survival in the desert.
- The small business struggled for survival during the economic downturn but managed to stay open by cutting costs.
- Anthropologists study how the survival of ancient traditions often depends on their ability to adapt to the pressures of a modern, globalized world.

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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.