idiom

Survival of the Fittest

ser-VY-vul uv thuh FIT-est

/sərˈvaɪvəl əv ðə ˈfɪtɪst/

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Syllable breakdown

SurvivaloftheFittest

Dictionary meaning

Originally a phrase coined by Herbert Spencer to summarize Darwin's theory of natural selection, describing how organisms best adapted to their environment are most likely to survive and reproduce. Now used broadly to describe any competitive situation where only the strongest or most adaptable succeed.

Examples

In the competitive startup world, it can feel like survival of the fittest.
Biologists caution that survival of the fittest refers to reproductive success, not physical strength.

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