do without
phrasal verb
did without; done without; doing without; does without
: to not have (something) : to live, work, etc., without having (something)
If you can't afford a new car, you'll just have to do without (one).
I don't know how we ever did without computers.
—can/could do without is often used to say that one does not like or approve of somethingI enjoy traveling, but I can do without having to wait around in crowded airports.
He was late again. That's the kind of selfish behavior I could do without.
Examples of do without in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Steep hierarchies tell staff what to do without understanding the implications.
—
Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Mirepoix is the basis for tomato sauces, soups, and rich meat dishes like Beef Bourguignon, and it really can’t be done without onions.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 16 July 2025
It can all be done without crossing the state line.
—Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
About half of these deliveries were on Medicaid, and another 10 to 20 percent were done without reimbursement.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for do without
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Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Mirepoix is the basis for tomato sauces, soups, and rich meat dishes like Beef Bourguignon, and it really can’t be done without onions.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 16 July 2025
It can all be done without crossing the state line.
—Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
About half of these deliveries were on Medicaid, and another 10 to 20 percent were done without reimbursement.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for do without
Cite this Entry
“Do without.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do%20without. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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