1. a person who continues to live after an accident, war, or other difficult or dangerous situation
2. a person who copes well with difficulties and recovers quickly from setbacks
3. a person who continues to live after the death of another person, especially a family member
Usage: legal; formal

Examples

• The plane crash had only three survivors.
• She is a cancer survivor who now helps other patients.
• The earthquake survivors were taken to emergency shelters.
• He’s a real survivor who always bounces back from failure.
• The insurance policy pays benefits to the survivor.
• Holocaust survivors shared their stories with students.
• As the sole survivor of the family, she inherited the estate.