outlive
B2Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To live longer than another person or to continue to exist after something else has ended.
To survive beyond a particular period, event, or person; to endure longer than something else.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies surviving a difficult period or a direct comparison where one entity outlasts another.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Slight preference for 'survive' in more casual American contexts.
Connotations
Similar connotations of endurance and survival in both variants.
Frequency
Comparatively low frequency in both, but slightly more common in formal or literary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + outlive + object (person/thing)It is possible to outlive + noun phraseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Outlive one's welcome (to stay somewhere longer than one is wanted)”
- “Outlive one's usefulness (to become no longer useful)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The company managed to outlive its main competitor during the recession.
Academic
Certain philosophical ideas have outlived the cultures that produced them.
Everyday
She sadly outlived all her brothers and sisters.
Technical
The new polymer is designed to outlive traditional materials by decades.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He is likely to outlive his wife by many years.
- That old theory has well and truly outlived its usefulness.
- The monarch outlived several of her prime ministers.
American English
- She ended up outliving all her siblings.
- This car will probably outlive me.
- The treaty outlived the government that signed it.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandfather outlived his brother.
- Some turtles can outlive people.
- She outlived her husband by ten years.
- Will this fashion outlive the season?
- The organisation has outlived its original purpose but continues to operate.
- Few politicians outlive their popularity.
- The poet's works have comfortably outlived the fleeting literary trends of his era.
- He had the grim fortune to outlive all his contemporaries.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'OUT' + 'LIVE' – to live OUT past someone or something else.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A RACE (where one person runs past the finish line after others have stopped).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'пережить' in all its senses – 'outlive' is specifically about lasting longer than another *person* or *thing*. For surviving an event, 'survive' is often better.
- Do not use for 'to experience something' (e.g., 'пережить эмоцию').
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He outlived from the accident.' Correct: 'He survived the accident.' / 'He outlived his injuries.'
- Incorrect preposition: 'outlive after'. Correct: 'outlive' + direct object.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'outlive' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for anything that lasts longer than something else (e.g., ideas, organisations, objects).
'Survive' means to continue to live or exist, especially after a dangerous event. 'Outlive' specifically means to live or exist longer than another person or thing, making it inherently comparative.
Yes, in phrases like 'outlive one's usefulness' or 'outlive one's welcome', it carries a negative meaning of enduring beyond a desirable point.
It is less common in casual, everyday conversation than 'survive' or 'live longer than'. It is more frequent in formal, literary, or specific comparative contexts.