could be survived

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "could be survived" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to express the idea that something is capable of being survived, but the construction is awkward and not commonly used. Example: "In extreme conditions, it is believed that certain species could be survived by adapting to their environment."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Supermarkets were jammed Friday night by worried shoppers, and at the Wegmans in West Windsor the barest shelves were the ones for bread and for bottled water, as if people thought of a few hours being snowbound as a kind of prison experience that could be survived only through fasting.

The New York Times

You had to consider what this did to the idea of character agency and multiple perspectives that could be survived when bad things happened to a single protagonist.

Vice

However, in 1871 a healed TBI was noted in a duck that had been killed by a hunter, thus demonstrating that the injury could be survived, at least in the general sense.

Wikipedia

Participants tended to see these as treatable events, which could be survived without having too much adverse effect on quality of life.

British Journal of General Practice

We examined a priori expectations derived from Mahoney and Rood's (1998) recruitment box model concerning (1) the position of new seedlings relative to the water's edge during the period of seed availability and (2) rates of water level decline that could be survived by new seedlings.

Environmental Management

Draw-down: Determine if there would be initial negative consequences that could be survived, but ultimate consequences that were sustainable.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

A father from Philadelphia told city counselors at Pier 94 that he had gone camping with his son many times and that he could be surviving in the wreckage on his skills as an outdoorsman.

The New York Times

Although the authors suggest that animals expressing P0206-FoxO are viable due to the moderate levels of FoxO expression, these animals could be surviving due to the presence of FoxO in oenocytes.

eLife

The harsh terrain could only be survived by hardened warriors who knew well how to endure such conditions.

Huffington Post

If the initial negative consequences could not be survived by humankind, then is it that acceptable?

WikiHow

All I could think about was surviving this experience.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using alternative phrases such as "could be endured" or "could be overcome" for clearer and more common expression.

Common error

Avoid using the passive construction "could be survived" when active alternatives like "someone could survive it" offer more directness and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could be survived" functions as a passive construction indicating the possibility of enduring or outlasting something. Ludwig AI marks this usage as not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "could be survived" attempts to convey the possibility of enduring something. However, Ludwig AI flags it as not correct in standard written English and suggests it’s an awkward construction. While examples exist across news, science, and wiki sources, more direct and common alternatives such as "could be endured" or "could be overcome" are preferable for clarity and grammatical correctness. Therefore, writers should aim for more standard phrasing to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can be survived

Simple replacement of "could" with "can"

might be survived

Simple replacement of "could" with "might"

may be survived

Simple replacement of "could" with "may"

could be endured

Replaces "survived" with "endured", focusing on the act of bearing or withstanding something difficult.

could be overcome

Shifts the focus to successfully dealing with and conquering a challenge.

could be weathered

Emphasizes the ability to withstand a difficult period or situation, like a storm.

could be lived through

Focuses on the experience of passing through a challenging event and remaining alive.

could be resisted

Emphasizes the ability to fight something

is potentially survivable

Changes the structure to an adjective phrase, highlighting the potential for survival.

can be dealt with

Highlights the capacity of managing a situation

FAQs

What does "could be survived" mean?

The phrase "could be survived" suggests that a particular event or situation has the potential to be survived. However, it is not a common or grammatically preferred construction.

What are some alternatives to "could be survived"?

You can use alternatives like "could be endured", "could be overcome", or "is potentially survivable" to convey a similar meaning with improved clarity.

Is "could be survived" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "could be survived" is not considered grammatically standard in English. Using a more direct construction or alternative phrasing is generally recommended.

How can I use "could be endured" in a sentence?

You can use "could be endured" in a sentence like this: "The hardship could be endured with sufficient support and resilience."