Meaning & use

survivor

noun·Everyday

A person who continues to live or function after a difficult, dangerous, or life-threatening event.

See it in a sentence

Only a handful of survivors were pulled from the wreckage after the earthquake.

She calls herself a survivor rather than a victim of the illness.

A note on using this word

Survivor increasingly carries a positive, resilient connotation, especially when describing people who have overcome illness, abuse, or hardship.

Words with a similar meaning

remnant

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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