allowed to survive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "allowed to survive" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where permission or conditions for survival are being discussed, often in relation to living beings or entities. Example: "In the harsh environment of the Arctic, only the strongest species are allowed to survive."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Saddam was allowed to survive.

The New Yorker

No superfluous word was allowed to survive.

The Economist

This dual system was allowed to survive because most Americans liked it.

The New Yorker

"Given the potential of what he is able to do, he cannot be allowed to survive".

The New York Times

That's why their wages council was allowed to survive when the others were scrapped.

The Guardian - Opinion

The mystery is how the team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, was allowed to survive it all.

The Guardian - Sport

"I came to think that the only reason I had been allowed to survive was the music," he said.

The New Yorker

It's fair to ask why these lands, which by all accounts feed daily bureaucratic nightmares, have been allowed to survive.

The New York Times

Because, like Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, it is a relic of Medieval Europe that more powerful neighbors allowed to survive.

The New York Times

Would Hitler have come to power if the Wara and similar schemes had been allowed to survive?

The Guardian - Opinion

Weinberg was now free to compose, and his composition would become an act of atonement: why else, of his family, had he alone been allowed to survive?

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing policies or decisions that affect survival, use "allowed to survive" to clearly indicate permission or tolerance, as opposed to active support or assistance. For example, "The ecosystem was degraded, but certain hardy species were "allowed to survive".

Common error

Avoid using "allowed to survive" when the context implies active support or assistance. "Allowed" suggests a passive role, not active intervention. Instead of saying "The government allowed the company to survive", when the government actually provided substantial financial aid, use "The government rescued the company".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "allowed to survive" functions as a passive construction indicating that a subject was permitted, rather than actively helped, to continue living or existing. As Ludwig AI shows, it often appears in contexts where survival is conditional or challenged.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "allowed to survive" is a common and grammatically correct passive construction that indicates permission or lack of active prevention of death or extinction. Ludwig AI analysis indicates it's most frequently used in science and news media, as shown in the many examples extracted, with a neutral to formal register. When writing, be mindful that "allowed" implies a passive role, contrasting with active support. Semantically related alternatives includes "permitted to live", "left alive", or "spared from destruction".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

permitted to live

This alternative focuses on the permission granted for continued existence.

granted survival

This emphasizes the act of being granted the ability to continue living.

allowed to exist

This emphasizes the permission for continued existence in a general sense.

left alive

This suggests that the subject was spared from death.

preserved from extinction

This highlights efforts to prevent something from dying out.

spared from destruction

This highlights the avoidance of being destroyed or eliminated.

enabled to persist

This suggests providing the means or ability to continue existing.

given leave to continue

This suggests a formal allowance to proceed or persist.

not killed

This focuses on the absence of a fatal action.

suffered to live

This implies tolerance or reluctant permission for existence.

FAQs

How do I use "allowed to survive" in a sentence?

Use "allowed to survive" to indicate that something or someone was permitted, either actively or passively, to continue living or existing, especially in challenging circumstances. For example, "Only the fittest seedlings were allowed to survive the drought".

What can I say instead of "allowed to survive"?

You can use alternatives like "permitted to live", "left alive", or "spared from destruction" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "allowed to survive" and "helped to survive"?

Yes, "allowed to survive" implies a lack of active prevention of death or extinction, while "helped to survive" indicates active assistance was provided to ensure survival. The former suggests permission, while the latter implies support.

When is it appropriate to use "allowed to survive" in scientific writing?

"Allowed to survive" is appropriate in scientific writing when describing experimental conditions where organisms or cells were given the opportunity to live under specific parameters, without necessarily being actively supported. For instance, "Cells were treated with a toxin and allowed to survive for 24 hours to assess resistance".