SURVIVE Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

survive

verb

sər-ˈvīv

Definition of survive

as in to endure

to come safely through the cat miraculously survived a two-story fall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to prevail

to continue to operate or to meet one's needs some old-world customs still survive in modern-day America

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of survive So while your starter goes into the oven teeming with yeast and bacteria, very few survive the heat. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026 The yeast and bacteria in the starter don’t survive baking in meaningful numbers, so the finished bread doesn’t deliver live cultures to your gut. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026 This year's budget was adopted only in February, after the government pushed it through without a final vote on the bill, which survived two no-confidence motions. — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 Another was shot in a classroom but survived, according to the preliminary investigation. — Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for survive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for survive

Verb

The Ukrainian capital endured a noisy night as 21 ballistic missiles came in three waves, Zelenskyy said, smashing apartment buildings, energy facilities, a railway station and the Kyiv subway system, shopping malls and businesses.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Lebanon endured an intense civil war.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of endure

Verb

And if Raman prevails over Bass, that mayor will be someone who didn’t even want the Olympics here in the first place.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Dupuy-Spencer had a reputation for clear-eyed renderings of both the tenderness and the brutality of our world; here, darker forces prevail.

— Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of prevail

Verb

The White House has grappled with how to address the cost of living ahead of the midterms, which are less than two weeks away.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Old women lived there, lined up in front of the doors seeking shade, gathered at the laundry pool chatting for hours, discussing the Colony and the young folk and how life often goes on too long.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of live

Verb

Its stainless steel body can last for years of making pour-over coffee every morning or evening cups of hot tea, and the kettle also comes in handy to boil water fast for everyday recipes.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026
Tehran fears that surrendering its maritime leverage first would invite fresh demands; Washington worries that easing pressure would reward coercion without securing lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.

— Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of last

Verb

Russia’s deep industrial reserves and Ukraine’s impressive adaptation have shown that complex energy systems can withstand enormous damage.

— Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Sourcing is becoming less about finding the lowest-cost manufacturing option and more about building a supply chain that can withstand constant change.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of withstand

Browse Nearby Words

survivance

survive

survived

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Survive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/survive. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of survive

verb

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