scrape by

verb

scraped by; scraping by; scrapes by
1
: to live with barely enough money : to be able to buy only the things most needed
Money was tight, but we somehow managed to scrape by.
2
: to succeed at doing something but just barely
He didn't study for the exam and just barely scraped by.

Examples of scrape by in a Sentence

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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.
And while billionaires and millionaires are watching their bank accounts surge thanks to appreciating assets, others are scraping by to make ends meet. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 July 2026 La Albiceleste seemed to barely escape early bouts with Cape Verde and Switzerland, scraping by in extra time. — Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 18 July 2026 So far, Milei has defended his Cabinet chief, even as the scandal damaged his government’s public image, constrained his political leverage in negotiations with allies and undermined his communication about spending cuts to Argentines scraping by on salaries that increasingly fall behind inflation. — ABC News, 27 June 2026 Unlike the boho types of Girls and last year’s Adults, who scrape by in the outer boroughs, however, these pals live in Manhattan’s fratty Murray Hill neighborhood. — Judy Berman, Time, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for scrape by

Rhymes for scrape by

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Browse Nearby Words

scrape bottom
scrape by
scrape down
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Cite this Entry

“Scrape by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrape%20by. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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