survive

/sə'vaivə/
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survive

The hiker managed to survive three days in the wilderness.

Definition
  1. Verb (transitive):

    • To continue to live or exist after the death of (another person): To live longer than someone else.
    • To continue to live or exist after (a dangerous or difficult event or period): To remain alive or in existence following an adversity, accident, or threat.
  2. Verb (intransitive):

    • To remain alive or in existence: To continue to live, especially in spite of danger, hardship, or difficult conditions.
    • To manage to live or function with very little: To subsist or get by on a minimal amount of resources.
Examples of Usage
  • Verb (transitive):

    • She survived her husband by many years.
    • Few buildings survived the earthquake.
    • He survived a terrible car crash.
  • Verb (intransitive):

    • The ancient tradition still survives in remote villages.
    • How can anyone survive on such a low income?
    • These plants cannot survive without water.
Advanced Usage
  • "to survive against all odds": To continue living or existing despite very low probability or extremely unfavorable circumstances.

    • The small company survived against all odds during the economic crisis.
  • "survive on": To manage to live or function using only a specified (often minimal) resource.

    • The refugees had to survive on bread and water.
Variants and Related Words
  • Survival (n): The state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of difficult conditions.

    • The survival of the fittest is a key concept in evolution.
  • Survivor (n): A person who survives, especially a person remaining alive after an event in which others have died.

    • She was the sole survivor of the plane crash.
Synonyms
  • Outlive: To live longer than (another person).
  • Endure: To suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently; to remain in existence.
  • Subsist: To maintain or support oneself, especially at a minimal level.
  • Persist: To continue to exist, especially for longer than is usual or desirable.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Survive on: (See "Advanced Usage" above).
  • Survive through: To manage to live or exist during a particular difficult period.
    • They survived through the long, harsh winter.
Related Idioms
  • Survive by the skin of one's teeth: To only just manage to avoid danger or failure.

    • He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.
  • What doesn't kill you makes you stronger: An idiom suggesting that surviving difficult experiences builds resilience. (While not containing the word "survive," it is conceptually related to the outcome of surviving adversity.)

survive

The hiker managed to survive three days in the wilderness.

Verb
  1. live longer than
    • She outlived her husband by many years
  2. support oneself
    • he could barely exist on such a low wage
    • Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?
    • Many people in the world have to subsist on $1 a day
  3. continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)
    • He survived the cancer against all odds
  4. continue to live through hardship or adversity
    • We went without water and food for 3 days
    • These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America
    • The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents
    • how long can a person last without food and water?