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
The lizards primarily live off insects and arthropods, but their proximity to humans has led to some developing a more omnivorous approach to their foraging.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
Pushing the north side of the building 30 feet back from the property line, putting more distance between the development and residents who live off 38th Street.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Amy Stewart lives off the grid in Perry County, about two hours southwest of Nashville.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
His career began by flipping Whoppers at Burger King, hitchhiking across the world, and living off of food stamps.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live off
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ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
Pushing the north side of the building 30 feet back from the property line, putting more distance between the development and residents who live off 38th Street.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Amy Stewart lives off the grid in Perry County, about two hours southwest of Nashville.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
His career began by flipping Whoppers at Burger King, hitchhiking across the world, and living off of food stamps.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
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 19 Sep. 2025.
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