eke out

verb

eked out; eking out; ekes out

transitive verb

1

: to make up for the deficiencies of : supplement

eked out his income by getting a second job

2

: to make (a supply) last by economy

Examples of eke out in a Sentence

eked out a living from the family's small farm

Recent Examples on the Web

While the tech-heavy Nasdaq and S&P 500 managed to eke out modest gains on Thursday, the Dow’s decline suggests some concerns remain. —Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024

This is the result of volatile collaboration between the 612 hp twin-turbo V-8 engine and the 189 hp electric motor bolted between it and the transmission, both driving all four wheels (together or individually) in whatever manner ekes out the greatest grip and performance. —Brett Berk, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2024

Mac computers eked out a 1.3% increase in sales to $7.7 billion, while iPad sales grew by 7.8% to $6.9 billion. —Kali Hays, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024

In 2022, when the other successful party compatriots won at least 60% of the voter, Zuckerman eked out 51.41%. —USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

eke out

verb

ˈēk-

1

a

: supplement entry 2

eked out their small income by working for neighbors

b

: to make (a supply) last by careful use

2

: to get with great difficulty

eked out a living from the poor soil of the family's farm