survivor
suh-VEYE-vuh
Survivor (noun) means a person who lives through a dangerous or traumatic event. Example: “Only one survivor was found after the ferry sank in the storm.”
noun
1
A person who lives through a dangerous or traumatic event.
"Only one survivor was found after the ferry sank in the storm."
"The survivors were pulled from the wreckage after hours of searching."
"She speaks publicly as a cancer survivor."
2
A person who copes well with hardship and keeps going.
"My grandmother lost her home twice and rebuilt, because she is a born survivor."
"You have to be a survivor to run a small shop these days."
"Whatever life throws at her, she's a survivor."
How to use survivor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who lives through something difficult, or who is generally tough and resilient.
Common pairings
a cancer survivor
a natural survivor
the sole survivor
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like survivor.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- survivors
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Only one _____ was found after the ferry sank in the storm.
Etymology
From survive plus the ending -or, naming the person who does the surviving.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for survivor
See all rhymes for survivor →Frequently asked questions
What does “survivor” mean?
The word “survivor” means a person who lives through a dangerous or traumatic event. In plain terms, someone who lives through something difficult, or who is generally tough and resilient.
How do you pronounce “survivor”?
“Survivor” is pronounced suh-VEYE-vuh (/sɚˈvaɪvɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “survivor” in a sentence?
Here is “survivor” used in a sentence: “The survivors were pulled from the wreckage after hours of searching.”
What is another word for “survivor”?
Words with a similar meaning to “survivor” include overliver.
What part of speech is “survivor”?
“Survivor” is a noun.
Is “survivor” a common word?
“Survivor” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “survivor” have?
“Survivor” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who lives through a dangerous or traumatic event.
What is the difference between survivor and victim?
A victim is someone harmed by an event or crime, while a survivor is someone who has lived through it. Many people prefer survivor, especially in discussions of abuse or serious illness, because it emphasises resilience and recovery rather than harm.
Is it "survivor of" or "survivor from"?
The standard collocation is survivor of: a survivor of the crash, a survivor of cancer, the sole survivor of the expedition. "Survivor from" does occasionally appear but sounds unnatural to most native speakers.
What is the difference between survivor and survivalist?
A survivor is someone who has lived through a dangerous or traumatic event, or who copes well with hardship. A survivalist is someone who actively prepares for disasters or practises wilderness survival skills, so it describes a lifestyle or hobby rather than something that happened to the person.
