outlive

verb

out·​live ˌau̇t-ˈliv How to pronounce outlive (audio)
outlived; outliving; outlives

transitive verb

1
: to live beyond or longer than
outlived most of his friends
outlive its usefulness
2
: to survive the effects of
universities … outlive many political and social changesJ. B. Conant

Examples of outlive in a Sentence

No mother wants to outlive her children. He outlived his wife by 10 years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ocalan said that the group had outlived its lifespan and should dissolve itself, a rare message from a leader with broad influence over Kurdish fighters in Turkey and around the region, including in Syria and Iraq. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025 Plan for longevity: Encourage clients to consider strategies that provide guaranteed income streams, such as annuities or longevity insurance, to reduce the risk of outliving their savings. Mike Vietri, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Women outlive men, by something of a long shot: In the United States, women have a life expectancy of about 80, compared to around 75 for men. Mohana Ravindranath, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025 Francis still has a ways to go to outlive Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903 at 93. Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outlive

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outlive was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Outlive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlive. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

outlive

verb
out·​live (ˈ)au̇t-ˈliv How to pronounce outlive (audio)
: to live longer than : outlast

More from Merriam-Webster on outlive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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