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
We are retired and living off both our savings, but most of it is hers.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
From inside a small submersible, the Chinese researchers saw many strange animals — many believed to be new to science — living off the whale carcasses.
—CBS News, 10 June 2026
There was always a small part of him that fantasized about leaving it all behind and going to live off the grid.
—Steven Rowley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
As civilians of the surrounding areas become displaced by the Fire Nation, more and more refugees, including Zuko and Iroh, who’ve been living off the grid, make their way to the capital.
—Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for live off
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Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
From inside a small submersible, the Chinese researchers saw many strange animals — many believed to be new to science — living off the whale carcasses.
—CBS News, 10 June 2026
There was always a small part of him that fantasized about leaving it all behind and going to live off the grid.
—Steven Rowley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
As civilians of the surrounding areas become displaced by the Fire Nation, more and more refugees, including Zuko and Iroh, who’ve been living off the grid, make their way to the capital.
—Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
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 17 Jun. 2026.
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