make ends meet
phrase
as in cope
to meet one's day-to-day needs
The couple's income was just enough to make ends meet each month.
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Recent Examples of make ends meet
Rather, those with lower incomes and who earn lower returns are much likelier in Morningstar’s simulation to clean their accounts out, using the cash to buy a car, pay for an education or just make ends meet.
—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Currently, nearly 50 percent of working-age households are struggling to make ends meet.
—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Abraham died when Brooks was only 2, leaving his brothers to help raise Mel and make ends meet in the household.
—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Currently, nearly 50 percent of working-age households are struggling to make ends meet.
—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Abraham died when Brooks was only 2, leaving his brothers to help raise Mel and make ends meet in the household.
—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
28 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make ends meet
make do
Phrase
-
But a developer would need to make do with no balconies, no pool and the architectural confines that come with a stone building that was designed for trials, not open-concept kitchens and heated bathroom floors.
-
As part of Volvo’s low-cost design, the EX30 makes do with a buttonless interior.
Cite this Entry
“Make ends meet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make%20ends%20meet. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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