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

Since being charged in O’Keefe’s death in 2022, Read has lost both of her jobs, her health insurance, her car and her life savings — and has been living off of what remains of her 401(k), per Vanity Fair. —Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025

Between living off of the island, forming alliances, breaking alliances, taking part in physical and mental challenges, enduring the climate, and withstanding anywhere from 25 to 55 days of complete isolation, there’s no shortage of action when watching this reality TV competition show. —Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 12 Mar. 2025

Those who are retiring or living off severance exit the labor force, and are not counted in the data. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025

Ben has been living off the grid by the grace of Natalie. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for live off

• cerenkov
• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff