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1 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to the survival of something or someone, you mean that they manage to continue or exist in spite of difficult circumstances. □  …companies which have been struggling for survival in the advancing recession. □  Ask for the free booklet 'Debt: a Survival Guide'.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to the survival of a person or living thing, you mean that they live through a dangerous situation in which it was possible that they might die. □  If cancers are spotted early there's a high chance of survival. □  An animal's sense of smell is still crucial to its survival.

3 PHRASE You can use the survival of the fittest to refer to a situation in which only the strongest people or things continue to live or be successful, while the others die or fail.

sur|vive ◆◆◇ /sə ^r va I v/ (survives , surviving , survived )

1 VERB If a person or living thing survives in a dangerous situation such as an accident or an illness, they do not die. □ [V ] They battled to survive in icy seas for over four hours. □ [V ] Those organisms that are that are most suited to the environment will survive. □ [V n] Drugs that dissolve blood clots can help people survive heart attacks.

2 VERB If you survive in difficult circumstances, you manage to live or continue in spite of them and do not let them affect you very much. □ [V ] …people who are struggling to survive without jobs. □ [V n] …a man who had survived his share of boardroom coups.

3 VERB If something survives , it continues to exist even after being in a dangerous situation or existing for a long time. □ [V ] When the market economy is introduced, many factories will not survive. □ [V n] The chances of a planet surviving a supernova always looked terribly slim.

4 VERB If you survive someone, you continue to live after they have died. □ [V n] Most women will survive their spouses. SYNONYMS survive VERB 1

pull through:Everyone was very concerned whether he would pull through or not.

live:He's got a terrible disease and will not live long.

last:The marriage had lasted for less than two years.

sur|vi|vor /sə ^r va I və ^r / (survivors )

1 N‑COUNT A survivor of a disaster, accident, or illness is someone who continues to live afterwards in spite of coming close to death. □ [+ of ] Officials said there were no survivors of the plane crash.

2 N‑COUNT A survivor of a very unpleasant experience is a person who has had such an experience, and who is still affected by it. □ [+ of ] This book is written with survivors of child sexual abuse in mind.

3 N‑COUNT [usu pl, usu poss N ] A person's survivors are the members of their family who continue to live after they have died. [AM ] □  The compensation bill offers the miners or their survivors as much as $100,000 apiece. [Also + of ]

4 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a survivor , you approve of the fact that they are able to carry on with their life even though they experience many difficulties. [APPROVAL ] □  Above all Susie is a great survivor, with a bright, indomitable spirit.

sus|cep|tibil|ity /səse pt I b I l I ti/ (susceptibilities )

1 N‑VAR If you have a susceptibility to something unpleasant, you are likely to be affected by it. □ [+ to ] …his increased susceptibility to infections.

2 N‑PLURAL A person's susceptibilities are feelings which can be easily hurt. [FORMAL ] □  I am well aware that in saying this I shall outrage a few susceptibilities.

sus|cep|tible /səse pt I b ^ə l/