outlive

verb

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

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 changesJ. B. Conant

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.
And while some seeds can long outlive people in this dozing state, many grow old and expire, even under ideal storage conditions. Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2025 Everyone had always assumed that my mum would outlive my dad. Geoff Dyer, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 Are they packaged in materials that won’t outlive you by 500 years? Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2025 Full disclosure, this was a category borne of the pandemic that has largely outlived its usefulness. Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 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

Cite this Entry

“Outlive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlive. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

outlive

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

More from Merriam-Webster on outlive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!