survivable

S1U1R1V4I1V4A1B3L1E1

adjective

Able to be survived.

“The conditions they are living in are harsh but survivable.”

UncommonScrabble 18

Meanings

adjectivesurvivable (comparative more survivable, superlative most survivable)

comparative more survivable · superlative most survivable

  1. Able to be survived.

    The conditions they are living in are harsh but survivable.

    Synonyms: endurable, livable, withstandable, abideable, bearable, endurable, livable, portable

  2. governmentCapable of surviving an attack, especially a nuclear strike.

    In order for a weapon system to be an effective deterrent it must be highly survivable. Weapon systems based in the world's ocean waters are the most survivable systems.

    1972, Naval Engineers Journal, volume 84, page 274
    2 more examples

    As Desert Storm demonstrated, heavily defended targets can be successfully attacked by cruise missiles and a limited number of highly capable and survivable aircraft, leaving other targets to be attacked by less survivable aircraft. A recent CNA study reinforced this point.

    1995, United States. General Accounting Office, Cruise Missiles: Proven Capability Should Affect Aircraft and Force Structure Requirements : Report to Congressional Committees, page 48

    “I think that what we found is that our command and control needs to be more survivable,” said Col. Robert S. McChrystal, commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, which is based in Vilseck, Germany, near the Czech border.

    2024 April 24, Helene Cooper, quoting Robert S. McChrystal, “NATO Puts on a Show of Force in the Shadow of Russia’s War”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Italic*super
  4. Latinsuper
  5. Latinsuper-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*gʷeyh₃-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*gʷih₃wós
  8. Proto-Indo-European*gʷíh₃weti
  9. Proto-Italic*gʷīwō
  10. Latinvīvō
  11. Latinsupervīvere
  12. Englishsurvive
  13. Englishsurvivable

From survive + -able.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

survivable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/survivable

MLA

“survivable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/survivable. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “survivable,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/survivable.

Source: survivable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.