survivor

/sərˈvaɪvər/

/səˈvaɪvə/

Other forms: survivors

A survivor is someone who hasn't died: the word is used often about people who have been through a horrible experience, like a plane crash.

Cancer survivors and Holocaust survivors have one thing in common: they lived through horrible ordeals and are still with us. The TV show "Survivor" made this word feel a little less weighty, but it still packs a punch. Anytime something horrible happens — like a car crash or an epidemic — you'll hear about the survivors. Some survivors may feel they are just lucky, but many survivors take pride in being strong enough to survive.

Definitions of survivor

1. noun

   one who lives through affliction
   “the survivors of the fire were taken to a hospital”

   synonyms: subsister

   type of:

   unfortunate, unfortunate person

   a person who suffers misfortune
2. noun

   an animal that survives in spite of adversity
   “only the fittest animals were survivors of the cold winters”

   type of:

   animal, animate being, beast, brute, creature, fauna

   a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
3. noun

   one who outlives another
   “he left his farm to his survivors”

   type of:

   individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul

   a human being