subsist on
phrasal verb
subsisted on; subsisting on; subsists on
: to use (something) as a way to stay alive : to live on (something)
poor people subsisting on just one or two dollars a day
The villagers subsist almost entirely on rice and fish.
(humorous) My brother subsists on pizza.
Examples of subsist on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The animals subsist on tiny plankton and are commonly spotted in southern New England waters in late spring, according to the New England Aquarium.
—
Charna Flam, People.com, 28 May 2025
Broadway theaters subsist on stunt-cast revivals of old warhorses; book publishers rely disproportionately on backlist sales.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 May 2025
In response, Soueif began a hunger strike, subsisting on water, rehydration salts, and black tea and coffee.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Eventually, they were sent to a work camp in the wilds of Siberia where Yetta shared a room with a horse and subsisted on frozen food.
—Malina Saval, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsist on
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Charna Flam, People.com, 28 May 2025
Broadway theaters subsist on stunt-cast revivals of old warhorses; book publishers rely disproportionately on backlist sales.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 May 2025
In response, Soueif began a hunger strike, subsisting on water, rehydration salts, and black tea and coffee.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Eventually, they were sent to a work camp in the wilds of Siberia where Yetta shared a room with a horse and subsisted on frozen food.
—Malina Saval, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsist on
Cite this Entry
“Subsist on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsist%20on. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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