preživljavati

1. to survive; to get by
   Jedva preživljavamo od plate do plate. — We barely get by from paycheck to paycheck.
   Kako ove biljke preživljavaju zimu? — How do these plants survive the winter?
2. (+ acc.) to go through; to live through
   Ona trenutno preživljava težak period. — She's going through a hard time right now.
   Svake noći ponovo preživljava tu nesreću. — Every night he relives that accident.

The perfective is preživeti; the imperfective often means 'to scrape by'.