To survive means to stay alive and get through a difficult or challenging situation.
When we talk about surviving something, it's often in the context of getting through hard times. Imagine going on a long hike and struggling with hunger, thirst, and fatigue - you might be worried that you won't make it back to camp, but somehow you keep going and eventually reach your destination. That's an example of surviving a difficult experience. It can also mean making it through a tough period in life, like losing a job or dealing with a serious illness. People who survive these kinds of challenges often come out stronger on the other side.
How common is "survive"?
Word survive is considered common in modern English. It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions
verb
Of a person, to continue to live; to remain alive.
Of an object or concept, to continue to exist.
To live longer than; to outlive.
Example: His children survived him; he was survived by his children.
To live past a life-threatening event.
Example: He did not survive the accident.
To be a victim of usually non-fatal harm, to honor and empower the strength of an individual to heal, in particular a living victim of sexual abuse or assault.
Of a team, to avoid relegation or demotion to a lower division or league.