survival
noun
sur·viv·al
sər-ˈvī-vəl 
often attributive
1
a
: the act or fact of living or continuing longer than another person or thing
b
: the continuation of life or existence
problems of survival in arctic conditions
2
: one that survives
Examples of survival in a Sentence
The refugees depend on foreign aid for their survival.
Small businesses are fighting for survival.
the survival of an old folktale
Recent Examples on the Web
On the campaign trail, Trump stated unequivocally that Ukraine’s strength and survival are important to U.S. interests.
—
The Editors, National Review, 11 Mar. 2025
Their stand-off during an open house triggers the pregnant real estate agent into premature labor, adding another alarming layer of dread to the survival premise.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025
For much of human history, humans hunted and gathered, lived in caves and worked together in small groups for survival.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
According to clinical trial results, the medication improved median progression-free and overall survival by two to three months compared with just chemotherapy.
—Ross Marchand, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for survival
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The Editors, National Review, 11 Mar. 2025
Their stand-off during an open house triggers the pregnant real estate agent into premature labor, adding another alarming layer of dread to the survival premise.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025
For much of human history, humans hunted and gathered, lived in caves and worked together in small groups for survival.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
According to clinical trial results, the medication improved median progression-free and overall survival by two to three months compared with just chemotherapy.
—Ross Marchand, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for survival
Cite this Entry
“Survival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survival. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
survival
noun
sur·viv·al
sər-ˈvī-vəl
1
: the act or fact of living or continuing longer than another person or thing
survival of half the population after the epidemic
2
: a continuation of life despite difficult conditions
skills for survival in the desert
3
: one that survives
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