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eke out
verb
eked out; eking out; ekes out
1
: to make up for the deficiencies of : supplement
eked out his income by getting a second job
2
: to make (a supply) last by economy
Examples of eke out in a Sentence
eked out a living from the family's small farm
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite predictions that the GOP would win control of the Senate that year, Democrats ultimately eked out a narrow majority.
—Max Greenwood, Miami Herald, 22 May 2024
Other political analysts were more cautious: Some pointed out that in 1992, the Conservative government of Prime Minister John Major overcame a polling deficit to eke out a narrow victory and stay in power.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 22 May 2024
That was one of just three hits the Brewers managed to eke out Monday night.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
The series spanned five episodes, following a group of unemployed Liverpool men trying to eke out a living.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 5 May 2024
All Gosling can eke out is a small grunt/sigh that will basically knock the air right out of your lungs.
—Meredith Woerner, Variety, 4 May 2024
Director/screenwriter Ned Benson ekes out a decent one in this sensitive romantic triangle.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Some breakers like Schreibman eked out a living stringing together corporate gigs and Hollywood work.
—Brandon Sneed, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2024
Smarter battery management is also eking out more range, faster charging and improved cold-weather performance.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eke out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near eke out
Cite this Entry
“Eke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eke%20out. Accessed 7 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
eke out
verbˈēk-
1
a
: supplement entry 2
eked out their small income by working for neighbors
b
: to make (a supply) last by careful use
2
: to get with great difficulty
eked out a living from the poor soil of the family's farm
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