outlive

/aʊtˈlɪv/

//aʊtˈlɪv// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"outlive" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“outlive” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,826. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,826
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To live longer than; continue to live after the death of; overlive; survive.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

outlive vs outside
71% similar
outlive vs olive
71% similar
outlive vs outline
86% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for outlive
PropertyValue
Headwordoutlive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/aʊtˈlɪv/
Letters7
Frequency rank#40,826
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “outlive” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). outlive lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around outlive (IPA /aʊtˈlɪv/), averb. Corpus frequency is #40,826 among 15,494 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for outlive, with forms such as "otulive", "oultive", and "outilve". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "outside", "olive", "outline", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English outliven, equivalent to out- + live. The correct English form is outlive, spelled O-U-T-L-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To live longer than; continue to live after the death of; overlive; survive.
  2. 2
    To live through or past (a given time).
  3. 3
    To surpass in duration; outlast.
  4. 4
    To live longer; continue to live.

Etymology

From Middle English outliven, equivalent to out- + live.

Synonyms

survive

Antonyms

predecease

This word in other languages

supervivir(Español)überleben(Deutsch)sobreviver(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • otulive
  • oultive
  • outilve
  • outliev
  • outlivve
  • outllive
  • outlvie
  • outtlive
  • uotlive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of outlive - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

otulive2oultive2outilve2outliev2outlivve1outllive1outlvie2outtlive1
Edit distance from "outlive"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "outlive"?
"outlive" is spelled O-U-T-L-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /aʊtˈlɪv/.
What does "outlive" mean?
As a verb, "outlive" means: To live longer than; continue to live after the death of; overlive; survive.
What words are commonly confused with "outlive"?
"outlive" is commonly confused with "outside", "olive", "outline". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "outlive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "outlive" is /aʊtˈlɪv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "outlive"?
From Middle English outliven, equivalent to out- + live. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “outlive”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-U-T-L-I-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /aʊtˈlɪv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “outside” - see the side-by-side comparison. outlive vs outside
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list