Meaning & Definition of word "Outlive"

Outlive

ˌaʊtˈlɪv

verb:

  • 1. To live longer than someone or something.
    • Example: She hopes to outlive her husband by many years.
  • 2. To continue to exist or endure longer than something else.
    • Example: The ancient trees have outlived many generations of humans.
  • 3. To survive or endure beyond a particular event or circumstance.
    • Example: The company's reputation was strong enough to outlive the scandal.

Etymology

Middle English, from the prefix 'out-' meaning 'beyond' and 'live'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

outlive one's usefulness:

To continue to exist or be in use even after it is no longer effective or needed.

outlive the competition:

To remain in business or prevail while others fail.

outlive a trend:

To continue to be relevant or in style after a trend has passed.

Related Words

afterlife:

Life after death.

survivor:

A person who remains alive after an event in which others have died.

longevity:

Long life or the duration of life.

Slang Meanings of outlive

Meaning: To outlast expectations.

Example Sentence: That old car really outlives all my predictions!

Meaning: To keep going despite challenges.

Example Sentence: He outlives every setback, always coming back stronger.