live off
verb
lived off; living off; lives off
: 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
Eyal Press… the fish goes into a kind of hibernation, living off its reserves of fat …—Mark Carwardine
Mark Carwardine… she is one of the few Iditarod competitors who have turned professional, living off race winnings.—National Wildlife
National Wildlife… a growing subculture of people who have reduced their spending habits and live off consumer waste.—Erika Hayasaki
Erika HayasakiMax lives off his father …—Harold Beaver
Harold BeaverExamples of live off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Weevils can also be found in backyards, gardens, and grassy fields, living off plants and fruit trees.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 May 2025
Local leaders say that will deal a long-term blow to the communities that have lived off the land for centuries.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
In 1984-85, his first year at Harvard, Benning lived off campus in Inman Square, a residential and commercial neighborhood in Cambridge.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The family lived off his monthly paychecks from the VA, supplemented by the money his wife earned from substitute teaching.
—Maddy Crowell, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live off
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Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 May 2025
Local leaders say that will deal a long-term blow to the communities that have lived off the land for centuries.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
In 1984-85, his first year at Harvard, Benning lived off campus in Inman Square, a residential and commercial neighborhood in Cambridge.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The family lived off his monthly paychecks from the VA, supplemented by the money his wife earned from substitute teaching.
—Maddy Crowell, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live off
Cite this Entry
“Live off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20off. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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