live by
phrasal verb
lived by; living by; lives by
1
: 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
2
: 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 coalitions would be open, meaning that countries that are able and willing to live by the standards are eligible to join.
—
Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
For Colorado, life post-Mihailovic seems to be lived by committee, especially with two central midfielders (Josh Atencio and Connor Ronan) out with injuries.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 11 Aug. 2025
These days, the freelance duck hunting lifestyle is best lived by small groups of buddies, not big crews.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2025
How long is a normal day on Earth? People live by the 24-hour solar day on Earth.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live by
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Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
For Colorado, life post-Mihailovic seems to be lived by committee, especially with two central midfielders (Josh Atencio and Connor Ronan) out with injuries.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 11 Aug. 2025
These days, the freelance duck hunting lifestyle is best lived by small groups of buddies, not big crews.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2025
How long is a normal day on Earth? People live by the 24-hour solar day on Earth.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live by
Cite this Entry
“Live by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20by. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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