Word
survive
Phoneticssur·vive, stress on the second syllable
US/sɝˈvaɪv/
UK/səvˈaɪv/
Definitions
01to stay alive
B1 · Intermediate
v. to continue to live after a dangerous accident, illness, or disaster.
v. to remain alive after a life-threatening event or period of hardship.
“The small plants managed to survive the cold winter without any extra protection.”
“Few species are equipped to survive the extreme temperatures and lack of oxygen found at such high altitudes.”
Usage
Often used with 'on' to describe the food or resources used to stay alive.
02to live longer than someone
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
v. to live longer than another person, especially a family member.
v. to outlive another person, typically a relative; often used in formal contexts like obituaries.
“She was sad to survive her younger brother by ten years.”
“The deceased is survived by his wife of fifty years and three adult children.”
Usage
In formal writing, the passive form 'is survived by' is standard for listing living relatives.
Antonyms
03to continue to exist
B1 · Intermediate
v. to continue to exist or be used after a long time.
v. to persist in existence or remain functional despite the passage of time or changing circumstances.
“Many ancient traditions still survive in the small mountain villages.”
“Only a handful of original manuscripts survive from the library's extensive medieval collection.”
Usage
Intransitive use; does not require a direct object.
04to avoid relegation
B2 · Upper Intermediate Sports British English
v. to stay in a top sports league and not be moved to a lower one.
v. to avoid demotion or relegation to a lower division within a competitive league structure.
“The team needs to win their final game to survive in the Premier League.”
“After a disastrous start to the season, the club's primary objective was simply to survive the drop into the second tier.”
Teaching tip
This is a very common metaphor in British football culture.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “survive” in context.
Verb
01. barely survive the winter
“The small birds barely survived the winter because the weather was so cold.”
adv + verb + noun
02. struggle to survive
“Many small businesses are struggling to survive in the current economy.”
verb + infinitive
03. survive on water
“The lost hikers had to survive on water and berries for three days.”
verb + prep + noun
04. survive the crash
“Miraculously, all the passengers managed to survive the crash without serious injuries.”
verb + noun
Adverb
05. miraculously survive
“The pilot miraculously survived when his plane went down in the mountains.”
adv + verb
06. survive intact
“Most of the ancient buildings survived intact despite the heavy earthquake.”
verb + adj
Real-World Examples
“The children’s great-uncle, Fidencio Valencia, said the siblings had survived by eating fariña, or cassava flour, and by using their knowledge of the rainforest’s fruits.” “Exactly how long someone can survive without water is still largely debated.” “Lemons himself survived his time without oxygen unscathed.” “For Goff, surviving a natural disaster is about having a plan.” Etymology
From Anglo-Norman survivre, Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervivere (“to outlive”), from Latin super (“over”) + vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”). See vivid. Compare devive, revive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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