Survive Meaning
/səˈvaɪv/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbOf a person, to continue to live; to remain alive.
verbOf an object or concept, to continue to exist.
Sentence Examples
The strong will survive and the weak will die.
Who can survive after a nuclear war?
Companies must be able to survive in the marketplace.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite the severe storm, the hikers managed to ____ by taking shelter in a cave.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many wild animals have developed amazing ways to ____ in the extremely harsh and cold conditions of the Arctic today.
Word Origin & History
From Anglo-Norman survivre, Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervīvere (“to outlive”), from Latin super (“over”) + vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”). See vivid. Compare devive, revive.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And for that dowrie, Ile aſſure her of / Her widdow-hood, be it that ſhe ſuruiue me / In all my Lands and Leaſes whatſoeuer / Let ſpecialties be therefore drawne betweene vs, / That couenants may be kept on either hand."
— c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
"I am afraid, as will happen in other cases, the treaty of alliance has survived the amicable dispositions in which it had its origin."
— 1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter X, in Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 227:
"Jones is survived by his second wife, Anna (nee Söderström), whom he married in 2012, and their daughter, Siri; and by Bill and Sally, the children of his first marriage, to Alison Telfer, which ended in divorce."
— 2020 January 22, Stuart Jeffries, “Terry Jones obituary”, in The Guardian:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite the severe storm, the hikers managed to ____ by taking shelter in a cave.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many wild animals have developed amazing ways to ____ in the extremely harsh and cold conditions of the Arctic today.