survival of the fittest
noun phrase
: the natural process by which organisms best adjusted to their environment are most successful in surviving and reproducing : natural selection
Our house sits in the middle of the woods, with poisonous snakes in the grass and snapping turtles in the ponds, where the survival of the fittest punctuates each day.—
Steven Lewis
Steven LewisIt's part of human nature to be competitive; after all, survival of the fittest is the basis of evolution.—Suzanne Sievert
—often used figuratively to describe a situation, attitude, etc., of fierce or ruthless competitionSuzanne SievertFashion Week is survival of the fittest. So preparing for all angles of what could happen is the smart move in this game.—Christina M. Hinke
Christina M. HinkeSurvival of the fittest is a cold and heartless doctrine, unless you stop to think of the benefits of fitness. Strong, fit companies are job-creating companies …—David Von Dreble
David Von Dreblea survival of the fittest approach/mentality/environment
Examples of survival of the fittest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is in contrast to individuals being more artful, guarded and practical with survival of the fittest mindsets and self-focused.
—George Bradt, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Sustainable success requires more than survival of the fittest.
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Ultimately, the film is a swan song for the ages, touching upon issues of self-preservation and sacrifice, confronting our darkest fears (or a lack thereof), and survival of the fittest — or in this somber depiction — the powerful and wealthy.
—Tiffany Leigh, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
Life How extreme beauty might defy survival of the fittest
Is beauty always a proxy for genetic health and fitness?
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Watching Springer play game after game and inning after inning is like a survival of the fittest.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2024
Chinese real estate developers desperate for a government lifeline are getting the opposite—survival of the fittest.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024
If evolution is the survival of the fittest, why would altruism live?
—Lulu Garcia-Navarro, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Natural selection works not through survival of the best, but survival of the fittest, and the fittest depends as much on external circumstance as on any innate merit.
—Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 24 June 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
George Bradt, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Sustainable success requires more than survival of the fittest.
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Ultimately, the film is a swan song for the ages, touching upon issues of self-preservation and sacrifice, confronting our darkest fears (or a lack thereof), and survival of the fittest — or in this somber depiction — the powerful and wealthy.
—Tiffany Leigh, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
Life How extreme beauty might defy survival of the fittest
Is beauty always a proxy for genetic health and fitness?
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Watching Springer play game after game and inning after inning is like a survival of the fittest.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2024
Chinese real estate developers desperate for a government lifeline are getting the opposite—survival of the fittest.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024
If evolution is the survival of the fittest, why would altruism live?
—Lulu Garcia-Navarro, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Natural selection works not through survival of the best, but survival of the fittest, and the fittest depends as much on external circumstance as on any innate merit.
—Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 24 June 2023
Dictionary Entries Near survival of the fittest
Cite this Entry
“Survival of the fittest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survival%20of%20the%20fittest. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
survival of the fittest
noun
sur·viv·al of the fittest
sər-ˈvī-vəl- 
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share