live by

phrasal verb

lived by; living by; lives by

: to agree with and follow (something, such as a set of beliefs)

He tried to live by his faith.

a principle I try to live by

: to survive by (doing something)

They were an ancient people who lived by hunting and gathering.

Examples of live by in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The vintage watches help ground the show in the 1980s and 1990s, while also serving as a reminder of the brief-but-intense life lived by Senna. —

Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 31 Oct. 2024 The full-length work features original choreography by Morris and new musical arrangements by Ethan Iverson performed live by an ensemble of piano, trumpet, bass and drums with Broadway performer Marcy Harriell on vocals. —

Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024 In 2000, only 1 in 6 older men lived by themselves. —

Judith Graham, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024 Olivia saving lives by speaking her truth is not surprising to me. —

Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for live by