eke out

verb

eked out; eking out; ekes out

transitive verb

1
: to make up for the deficiencies of : supplement
eked out his income by getting a second job
2
: to make (a supply) last by economy

Examples of eke out in a Sentence

eked out a living from the family's small farm
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many of the farmers are immigrants who were barely eking out a living even before the storms, Miyamoto said. Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 Many of the farmers are immigrants who were barely eking out a living even before the storms, Miyamoto noted. ABC News, 16 May 2026 Rhoda and Duyen are praised for their layers of flavor and cohesion, and Rhoda ekes out the win and her first cash prize of the competition. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 May 2026 In the off-season, many full-time residents struggle to eke out a living working as artists and commercial fishermen. Sacha Pfeiffer, NPR, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for eke out

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of eke out was in 1596

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eke%20out. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

eke out

verb
ˈēk-
1
a
: supplement entry 2
eked out their small income by working for neighbors
b
: to make (a supply) last by careful use
2
: to get with great difficulty
eked out a living from the poor soil of the family's farm

More from Merriam-Webster on eke out

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster