How to pronounce survive
Say it like ser-VYVE. Survive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VYVE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce survive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ser
- VYVE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Survive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- serKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- VYVESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of survive
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: suh-VYVE.
What does survive mean?
- continue to live and avoid dying“We went without water and food for 3 days”“These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America”
- continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)“He survived the cancer against all odds”
- support oneself“he could barely exist on such a low wage”“Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?”
Where does survive come from?
From Anglo-Norman survivre, Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervīvere (“to outlive”), from Latin super (“over”) + vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with survive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of survive.
Questions about saying survive
How do you pronounce survive?
Say ser-VYVE. The American pronunciation is /sɚˈvaɪv/. In British English it is /səˈvaɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in survive?
Survive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VYVE). Broken into parts: ser · VYVE.
Is survive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /səˈvaɪv/ (suh-VYVE).