1
as in existence
the fact of being or of being real
believes in the subsistence of a soul as a separate entity from the body
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continuation
uninterrupted or lasting existence
the subsistence of the patient's infection, even after the use of antibiotics, had the doctors puzzled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subsistence
The order overturns the Biden administration’s 2024 decision blocking a 211-mile road over concerns that mining could threaten caribou and fish vital to dozens of Native subsistence communities.
—
Reuters, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Encampment clearance, arrests, incarceration, and the demonization of people experiencing homelessness by using the archaic language of vagrancy laws exacerbate the social, economic, and personal circumstances that already challenge individuals’ subsistence and independence.
—Time, 16 Sep. 2025
From commercial fishing to sport and subsistence, fishing in Alaska is highly regulated.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The study identified eight motivations of poaching, ranging from poaching for trophy parts of an animal to peer pressure to subsistence to opportunistic poaching.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsistence
Reuters, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Encampment clearance, arrests, incarceration, and the demonization of people experiencing homelessness by using the archaic language of vagrancy laws exacerbate the social, economic, and personal circumstances that already challenge individuals’ subsistence and independence.
—Time, 16 Sep. 2025
From commercial fishing to sport and subsistence, fishing in Alaska is highly regulated.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The study identified eight motivations of poaching, ranging from poaching for trophy parts of an animal to peer pressure to subsistence to opportunistic poaching.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsistence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subsistence
Noun
-
For the better part of its 138-year existence, Indiana football has excelled at being awful.—
Dana O'Neil,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
But that begins with evincing a simple desire to defend the existence and perpetuity of one's culture.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 119-109, on Tuesday, giving the Dubs a statement win to start the season in a continuation of last regular season.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
This is perhaps a continuation of the previous question.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the interim, Romero McCants will lead day-to-day operations while Rashidah Butler-Jackson will assist with transition and continuity.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
That focus creates continuity and trust.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The commission declined to grant a continuance.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Hogan’s request for a continuance to amend her complaint to add more defendants, like the Town of Los Gatos or the Los Gatos Recreation Department, was denied.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Robeson’s persistence against state harassment illustrated how resistance to civil liberties violations can protect and preserve basic citizenship rights, including the right to travel.—
Time,
Time,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Ellis’s recognition has grown in recent years, thanks to the care of his friend Allen Frame and to the persistence of those who refused to let his images disappear.—
Alessia Glaviano,
Vogue,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In embracing those tools, Pritzker, an establishment Democrat who didn’t exactly begin his career as an influencer has come to represent what’s basically an inevitable evolutionary battle for political survival.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
As Robbie's actions target stash houses run by the notorious Dark Hearts motorcycle gang, a deadly turf war erupts, escalating tensions in the city and drawing both law enforcement and criminal factions into a high-stakes battle over control, survival and justice.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subsistence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subsistence. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share