do without
verb
did without; done without; doing without; does without
: to not have (something) : to live, work, etc., without having (something)
If you can't afford a new car, you'll just have to do without (one).
I don't know how we ever did without computers.
—can/could do without is often used to say that one does not like or approve of somethingI enjoy traveling, but I can do without having to wait around in crowded airports.
He was late again. That's the kind of selfish behavior I could do without.
Examples of do without in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The right-wing mayor of Nice has asked for a law mandating AC in hospitals and retirement homes, and even the leader of the Green Party, Marine Tondelier, now says some places can no longer do without AC.
—
Henry Grabar,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2026
Companies can request a specific authorization, as Polestar did without success.
—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
26 June 2026
Don't use it for calculations, directions, store hours, recipes or shopping lists, which are all searches people used to do without AI, but now do it with AI and waste power and water, Luccioni said.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Ultimately, fixing an overheated car isn't something the average driver can do without the proper tools and materials.
—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for do without
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Henry Grabar,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2026
Companies can request a specific authorization, as Polestar did without success.
—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
26 June 2026
Don't use it for calculations, directions, store hours, recipes or shopping lists, which are all searches people used to do without AI, but now do it with AI and waste power and water, Luccioni said.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Ultimately, fixing an overheated car isn't something the average driver can do without the proper tools and materials.
—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for do without
Cite this Entry
“Do without.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do%20without. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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