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.
Warren Buffett's life in pictures 1 of 43 Buffett also gave estate-planning advice to parents with wealth that might outlive them. Bryan Mena, CNN, 25 Nov. 2024 Catherine outlived her husband by 20 years, returning to her home country and even serving as regent of Portugal. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024 More than ever, retirees face the unsettling prospect of outliving their savings. Dr. Aman Alzubier, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 But putting aside Carr’s actions, all of this does raise the question of whether the equal-time rule has outlived its usefulness. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near outlive

Cite this Entry

“Outlive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlive. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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
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