Surviving example sentences

"Surviving" Example Sentences

After the accident, the doctors said she was lucky to be surviving at all.
He spent months in the hospital, and everyone was amazed he was surviving on such minimal food.
Surviving a divorce is harder than people think — it's not just about logistics, it's about identity.
She kept a journal about surviving cancer, and it became a book that helped thousands of people.
The refugees talked about surviving the journey across the desert with almost no water.
Honestly, I'm just surviving right now — work is insane and I haven't slept properly in weeks.
My grandmother used to say that surviving the war taught her what actually mattered in life.
They're surviving on their savings while they look for new jobs, but it won't last forever.
Surviving in that toxic workplace meant learning to keep your head down and your mouth shut.
The whole team was surviving on coffee and spite by the time the project finally ended.
What nobody tells you about surviving grief is that some days you just forget to eat.
He wrote a memoir about surviving homelessness and it changed how people in his community saw poverty.
Surviving the first year of parenthood felt like running a marathon while someone keeps moving the finish line.
She'd been surviving on her own since she was eighteen — no safety net, no backup plan.
The documentary follows three families surviving in the Arctic, and it's absolutely brutal.
Surviving that meeting without saying something I'd regret took every ounce of self-control I had.
Kids are surviving school shooters now — that's where we are as a country.
He talked about surviving depression like it was a full-time job, because honestly, it was.
Surviving the pandemic meant different things to different people — for some it was just staying alive.
They're surviving on ramen and hope, which is basically the college experience.
The article was about women surviving domestic violence and rebuilding their lives from nothing.
Surviving winter in that apartment meant wearing three sweaters indoors and accepting that your fingers would be numb.
Nobody's really surviving these housing prices — we're all just pretending we have a plan.
She kept surviving by telling herself it was temporary, but temporary turned into years.
The podcast features people surviving rare diseases and the weird ways it changes your perspective.
Surviving that conversation with my mother-in-law required a drink afterward — maybe two.
He's been surviving on disability checks and the kindness of his sister, and he hates every second of it.
Surviving the breakup meant deleting all the photos and blocking him on everything.
The whole neighborhood was surviving the construction noise for six months straight — everyone was losing it.
She talked about surviving her toxic friendship like it was a hostage situation she'd finally escaped.

Common Phrases

surviving on
surviving the
surviving against the odds
surviving and thriving
barely surviving
just surviving
key to surviving
surviving a crisis
surviving hardship
surviving together
surviving the aftermath

Examples by Level

The fish is surviving in the tank with the right food and clean water.
After the accident, he was surviving in the hospital for many weeks.

She's surviving on very little money while she looks for a better job.
The family was surviving in the refugee camp, waiting for news from home.

Surviving that first winter alone taught him more about himself than he expected.
They talked about surviving the flood and how it changed their entire neighborhood.

She'd spent years surviving in an abusive relationship before finally finding the courage to leave.
The documentary explores how communities are surviving climate change through innovative adaptation.

What distinguishes those who thrive from those merely surviving is often not circumstance but perspective.
The memoir captures the paradox of surviving trauma — the strange mixture of strength and fragility it creates.

There's a particular kind of exhaustion that comes with surviving rather than living — a quiet, persistent depletion of spirit.
She understood that surviving wasn't the same as healing, and the distinction had taken her years to articulate.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life

My neighbor's been surviving on instant noodles since his wife left — I'm pretty sure he's forgotten what real food tastes like.
We're all just surviving until Friday, honestly — this week has been absolutely brutal.

💼 Workplace

The whole department is surviving on fumes after the layoffs — morale is basically nonexistent.
She's been surviving the new manager by keeping her head down and doing her job quietly.

📊 Business

The startup was surviving on venture capital and optimism, but the money was running out fast.
Their survival strategy shifted from growth to surviving the recession by cutting costs everywhere.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

I'm surviving on the clearance section right now because my budget is completely shot.
These discount grocery stores are where people are surviving when their paychecks don't stretch far enough.

✈️ Travel

We were surviving on airport food and terrible hotel coffee for the entire conference.
Backpacking through Southeast Asia on fifty dollars a day meant surviving on street food and hostels.

📚 Education

The students were surviving on caffeine and last-minute cramming during exam week.
Teachers are surviving on passion and hope because the pay certainly isn't keeping them afloat.

❤️ Relationships

We were surviving the long distance by texting constantly, but it wasn't really living.
After the affair, they spent two years just surviving together before finally admitting it was over.

📰 News / Politics

The report detailed how refugees were surviving in camps with minimal resources and no clear timeline for leaving.
Politicians keep talking about the economy, but millions of people are just surviving paycheck to paycheck.

💻 Technology

The old laptop is somehow still surviving despite being five years old and held together with hope.
The app tracks how people are surviving without social media, and the results are surprisingly positive.

📝 Formal Writing

The study examined factors contributing to patients surviving the initial cardiac event and returning to normal function.
Regulations were implemented to ensure that endangered species have adequate habitat for surviving and reproducing.