live off

verb

lived off; living off; lives off

transitive verb

: 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

… the fish goes into a kind of hibernation, living off its reserves of fat …

—Mark Carwardine

… she is one of the few Iditarod competitors who have turned professional, living off race winnings.

—National Wildlife

… a growing subculture of people who have reduced their spending habits and live off consumer waste.

—Erika Hayasaki

Max lives off his father …

—Harold Beaver

Examples of live off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Inspired by the loggerhead turtle, the indigenous sea turtle species loved by those who live off the coast of Florida, the project celebrates both the region’s wildlife and its vibrant arts community. —Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2024

The narrative scenes center on Ghost (Samantha Morton), a dissident living off the grid in San Francisco in the year 2073. —Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024

Terror birds were carnivorous, living off small to mid-sized mammals. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

However, if Harry and Meghan need these investments to generate an income for themselves for life then they might well be advised to apply the same principle used to calculate pensions and live off an inflation adjusted 4 percent of the total. —Jack Royston, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above