verb
outlive
owt-LIHV
verb
1
To live longer than someone or something else; to survive past it.
"She outlived her husband by twenty years."
"Cockroaches are said to be able to outlive almost any disaster."
How to Use Outlive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo keep living after someone or something else has died or ended.
Common mistake
"Outlive its usefulness" is a common set phrase meaning something has become obsolete, not literally about death.
Common pairings
outlive its usefulness
outlive a spouse
Word Forms
outlived past tense, outlives singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “outlive”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ her husband by twenty years.
Etymology
From Middle English outliven, built from out- + live — literally "to live beyond."