live by
phrasal verb
lived by; living by; lives by
1
: to agree with and follow (something, such as a set of beliefs)
He tried to live by his faith.
a principle I try to live by
2
: to survive by (doing something)
They were an ancient people who lived by hunting and gathering.
Examples of live by in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Truckers and motorcyclists live by hand waves and lane courtesies—join the culture.
—
Josh Max, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
The fossils included a clue as to why the pterosaur was found among creatures that lived by streams.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
But to those in his inner circle, like Dana Johnson, the vice president of economic inclusion at Greater Louisville Inc., and a longtime family friend, Bridgeman was a man who was deeply motivated and lived by his Christian faith.
—Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 3 July 2025
Church’s power For thousands of years, the Sámi population lived by hunting, fishing and reindeer husbandry along the northern edges of Scandinavia.
—Thomas A. Dubois, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for live by
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Josh Max, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
The fossils included a clue as to why the pterosaur was found among creatures that lived by streams.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
But to those in his inner circle, like Dana Johnson, the vice president of economic inclusion at Greater Louisville Inc., and a longtime family friend, Bridgeman was a man who was deeply motivated and lived by his Christian faith.
—Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 3 July 2025
Church’s power For thousands of years, the Sámi population lived by hunting, fishing and reindeer husbandry along the northern edges of Scandinavia.
—Thomas A. Dubois, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for live by
Cite this Entry
“Live by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20by. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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