“Survival of the Fittest” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on October 16, 2024 by Liam Daniel

Have you ever heard the term survival of the fittest being used in a conversation and wondered what the speaker was referring to? If so, we are going to show you the meaning of this phrase and learn about where it originally came from. We are also going to take a look at some examples of how the phrase can work within a conversation.

“Survival of the Fittest” Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • The phrase “survival of the fittest” refers to the concept that individuals or species that are best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
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“Survival of the Fittest” Meaning

The phrase “survival of the fittest” refers to the concept that in nature, those individuals or species that are best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. It emphasizes the idea that the strongest or most well-adapted organisms will prevail in the struggle for existence, while those that cannot adapt may become extinct.

Examples:

  • “In the wild, survival of the fittest determines which species thrive and which ones fade away.”
  • “The competitive market operates on the principle of survival of the fittest, where only the strongest businesses succeed.”

Origin of This Term

The term survival of the fittest comes from a statement made by scientist Charles Darwin who used it to refer to the evolution of various different creatures, saying that only the fittest and strongest would survive.

Usage of “Survival of the Fittest”

  • In a discussion about competition:

“In the tech industry, it’s often a case of survival of the fittest, with companies constantly innovating to stay ahead.”

  • Talking about personal development:

“She realized that in a demanding environment like law school, it was truly survival of the fittest, and she had to work hard to keep up.”

  • In a conversation about nature:

“The harsh conditions in the desert demonstrate survival of the fittest, as only the strongest plants and animals can thrive there.”

  • During a critique of social dynamics:

“Some argue that in the corporate world, it’s survival of the fittest, where aggressive tactics often overshadow collaboration.”

Related Terms to “Survival of the Fittest”

  • Natural selection – the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
  • Darwinism – a theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin, emphasizing natural selection as the primary mechanism of evolution.
  • Adaptation – the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment through physical or behavioral changes.
  • Fitness – in evolutionary biology, the reproductive success of an organism in passing its genes to the next generation.
  • Struggle for existence – the competition among living organisms for resources and survival.
  • Evolving – the process of gradual development or change over time, particularly in the context of species adapting to their environments.
  • Competitive advantage – an attribute that allows an organism or entity to outperform its rivals in a given environment.
  • Survival of the strongest – a variation emphasizing strength as a key factor in survival and success.
  • Extinction – the end of an organism or species, often due to failure to adapt to changing conditions or competition.
  • Ecological niche – the role and position a species has in its environment, including all interactions with biotic and abiotic factors.

Other Ways to Say “Survival of the Fittest”

There may be other ways to refer to the meaning of the term survival of the fittest, here are some examples of how you could do this.

  • Only the strong survive
  • The weak will lose
  • Law of the jungle
  • Law of the strongest
  • Natural selection

“Survival of the Fittest” Examples

Examples in Statements

You may see the term survival of the fittest in various contexts, we are now going to look at some examples of things you might see or hear.

The first statement is being made in an advertisement for a training camp.

  • If you think you’re made of tough stuff, come and train with us, you will find out the true meaning of survival of the fittest.

The second statement is being made by a father to his son.

  • You have to push through this situation, you are the best and you know it, you know what they say, the survival of the fittest.

Other examples:

  • The law of the survival of the fittest was not made by man.
  • It is survival of the fittest out there and if I had to do it again I believe I would.
  • The society is the reality brutal survival of the fittest.
  • Survival of the fittest, this one is the law of competition in the market.

Conversation Examples

We are now going to look at some examples of conversations in which the term survival of the fittest might appear, this will help us better understand how the term is used.

The first is a conversation which is taking place between two friends.

  • Person 1: “There is a girl I really like.”
  • Person 2: “Then ask her out on a date.”
  • Person 1: “It’s not that simple, there is another guy.”
  • Person 2: “Prove you’re the better one, survival of the fittest.”

The second conversation is happening between two people talking about nature.

  • Person 1: “It is such a shame to see that tigers are facing extinction.”
  • Person 2: “It is but they are facing the struggle of battling humans.”
  • Person 1: “It is survival of the fittest and sadly the tigers won’t win.”
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