sur ‧ viv ‧ al W3 AC /səˈvaɪv ə l $ sər-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ survival , ↑ survivor ; verb : ↑ survive ; adjective : surviving]
1 . [uncountable] the state of continuing to live or exist
survival of
Illegal hunting is threatening the survival of the species.
The doctors gave him a one in ten chance of survival.
A lot of small companies are having to fight for survival (=work hard in order to continue to exist) .
2 . survival of the fittest a situation in which only the strongest and most successful people or things continue to exist
3 . a survival from something especially British English something that has continued to exist from a much earlier period, especially when similar things have disappeared SYN relic :
The cult is a survival from the old Zoroastrian religion.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ long-term survival
The long-term survival of polar bears is at risk.
▪ continued survival
The continued survival of this species of dolphin seems unlikely.
▪ economic survival
Both countries depend on wildlife-based tourism for their economic survival.
▪ political survival
The prime minister is fighting for his political survival.
■ survival + NOUN
▪ the survival rate
The survival rate of animals returned to the wild remains an unanswered question.
▪ sb’s survival instinct (=a natural ability to know how to survive)
My survival instinct told me to get up and run.
▪ survival skills
They learned survival skills from the local Indian tribe.
▪ a survival strategy
The best survival strategy is to avoid putting yourself in unnecessary danger.
■ verbs
▪ fight/struggle for survival
Many construction companies are fighting for survival.
▪ ensure the survival of something/somebody
Controlling land development would ensure the survival of many types of wildlife.
▪ owe your survival to somebody/something
The frogs owe their survival to a conservation program.
■ phrases
▪ sb’s chance(s) of survival
He knew that his chances of survival were small.
▪ sb’s fight/struggle/battle for survival
Their lives had been one long struggle for survival.