survivor

[ser-vahy-ver]

See more synonyms for survivor on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that survives.
Law. the one of two or more designated persons, as joint tenants or others having a joint interest, who outlives the other or others.
a person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship, or setbacks.

Origin of survivor

First recorded in 1495–1505; survive + -or²

Related formsnon·sur·vi·vor, nounself-sur·vi·vor, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for survivors

Contemporary Examples

While Faal and Njie are in U.S. custody, the whereabouts of the other survivors is unknown.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country
Jacob Siegel
January 6, 2015
Here it is, in the faces of the victims, in the stories of bravery, in the souls and memory of the survivors, the next of kin.
Dick Cheney vs. ‘Unbroken’
Mike Barnicle
December 15, 2014
The survivors needed hope for a brighter future, and Murakami sought to supply a salving narrative through his art.
Takashi Murakami’s Art From Disaster
Justin Jones
November 28, 2014
The Cubans pulled up to the outpost and crammed the survivors into an open-body jeep and a pickup truck.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis
Nina Strochlic
November 23, 2014
Survivors of Ebola, as thousands in West Africa can attest to, can—and often do—make a full recovery.
The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola
Abby Haglage
November 20, 2014

Historical Examples

The endless struggle for life had taught the survivors many things.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon
These excepted, the only survivors of this tragic scene were Capts.
A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion
William Dobein James
But when he came to count up his survivors he was not so pleased.
The Law-Breakers
Ridgwell Cullum
Many were killed, and the survivors, with their spirits crushed, returned to work.
A Zola Dictionary
J. G. Patterson
The survivors could do nothing to help the dead or the dying.
King Philip
John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott

British Dictionary definitions for survivors

survivor

noun

a person or thing that survives
property law one of two or more specified persons having joint interests in property who lives longer than the other or others and thereby becomes entitled to the whole property

Derived Formssurvivorship, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for survivors

survivor

n.

c.1500, in the legal sense of "one who outlives another," agent noun from survive. Meaning "one who has a knack for pulling through adversity" is attested from 1971. Survivor syndrome is first recorded 1968.

survivor

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}survivor

Related Words

Examples from the Web for survivors

Contemporary Examples

While Faal and Njie are in U.S. custody, the whereabouts of the other survivors is unknown.

Here it is, in the faces of the victims, in the stories of bravery, in the souls and memory of the survivors, the next of kin.

The survivors needed hope for a brighter future, and Murakami sought to supply a salving narrative through his art.

The Cubans pulled up to the outpost and crammed the survivors into an open-body jeep and a pickup truck.

Survivors of Ebola, as thousands in West Africa can attest to, can—and often do—make a full recovery.

Historical Examples

The endless struggle for life had taught the survivors many things.

These excepted, the only survivors of this tragic scene were Capts.

But when he came to count up his survivors he was not so pleased.

Many were killed, and the survivors, with their spirits crushed, returned to work.

The survivors could do nothing to help the dead or the dying.

survivor

Word Origin and History for survivors

survivor

n.

Origin of survivor