live off
verb
lived off; living off; lives off
: to use (something or someone) as the main source of what one needs to survive (such as money or food)
… the indigenous … people, who have inhabited the rain forest of Irian Jaya, living off the land, for thousands of years.—
Eyal Press
Eyal Press… the fish goes into a kind of hibernation, living off its reserves of fat …—Mark Carwardine
Mark Carwardine… she is one of the few Iditarod competitors who have turned professional, living off race winnings.—National Wildlife
National Wildlife… a growing subculture of people who have reduced their spending habits and live off consumer waste.—Erika Hayasaki
Erika HayasakiMax lives off his father …—Harold Beaver
Harold BeaverExamples of live off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Harmon's Gibbs remains retired from NCIS work, living off the grid in Alaska since retiring in 2021.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
The couple, who live off of Social Security, savings and a small pension, may soon be able to get Zepbound for $50 a month each through the Medicare pilot program.
—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
The sharpshooting point guard who makes a living off deception, off angles and off making defenders look silly couldn’t find a sliver of daylight.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
The unusual circumstances left the family temporarily living off the grid.
—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for live off
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Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
The couple, who live off of Social Security, savings and a small pension, may soon be able to get Zepbound for $50 a month each through the Medicare pilot program.
—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
The sharpshooting point guard who makes a living off deception, off angles and off making defenders look silly couldn’t find a sliver of daylight.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
The unusual circumstances left the family temporarily living off the grid.
—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for live off
Cite this Entry
“Live off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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