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
Will Trump Negotiate Tariffs? 90-Day Pause Issued As These Countries Ask To Bargain
The Magic Bay second display is a smaller 8-inch model that attaches to the side of the monitor to give certain apps a place to live off the main screen without taking up too much space.
—Anshel Sag, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Under the 1862 Homestead Act, President Abraham Lincoln granted families 160 acres of land each, mainly west of the Mississippi River, with the expectation that families would tend to and live off the land.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
For example, a married couple who is living off a combination of taxable brokerage withdrawals and cash in savings may be able to keep their taxable income low enough in FAFSA years by strategically accessing their money.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
In the early years of their friendship, Kochan, who Boyer thinks was living off a bit of family money and wasn’t working full time, would ask to accompany Boyer on errands and to auditions, help her run lines, prep for jobs, and go with her to pick up family members at the airport.
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live off
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Anshel Sag, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Under the 1862 Homestead Act, President Abraham Lincoln granted families 160 acres of land each, mainly west of the Mississippi River, with the expectation that families would tend to and live off the land.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025
For example, a married couple who is living off a combination of taxable brokerage withdrawals and cash in savings may be able to keep their taxable income low enough in FAFSA years by strategically accessing their money.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
In the early years of their friendship, Kochan, who Boyer thinks was living off a bit of family money and wasn’t working full time, would ask to accompany Boyer on errands and to auditions, help her run lines, prep for jobs, and go with her to pick up family members at the airport.
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 24 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 24 Apr. 2025.
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