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
His work on Prototaxites fossils has shown that the ancient organisms didn’t use photosynthesis to produce energy from light like plants, but likely consumed carbon sources in the environment — just as some living fungi live off decomposing organic matter.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
This program is not to live off of.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
The invasive pests originally lived off the blood of bats, and when humans started sheltering in caves, bed bugs began feeding on them instead.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
Chicago has lived off of turnovers and late-game heroics, and that could come into play.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for live off
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Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
This program is not to live off of.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
The invasive pests originally lived off the blood of bats, and when humans started sheltering in caves, bed bugs began feeding on them instead.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
Chicago has lived off of turnovers and late-game heroics, and that could come into play.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 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 14 Feb. 2026.
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