outlive

verb

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

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 changes.—J. B. Conant

Synonyms of outlive

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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.
The pattern bucks what scientists see elsewhere in the animal kingdom and helps explain why Great Danes rarely outlive golden retrievers or pugs. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026 Across the rest of the animal kingdom, bigger species tend to outlive smaller ones. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 The once-promising prodigy will grow dissolute, remorseful and resentful of his wife, who outlives him. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 Still others will be negative or stale, reflecting perceptions that have outlived the reality behind them. — Lora Kratchounova, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 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

Phrases Containing outlive

Rhymes for outlive

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Browse Nearby Words

outline stitch
outlive
outlive one's usefulness
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Cite this Entry

“Outlive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlive. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outlive

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