eke out

verb

eked out; eking out; ekes out

transitive verb

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

Most of that came before the March 17 primary, when Croke eked out a 2-percentage-point victory over three opponents. — CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

There may not be a large difference between the Democrats eking out enough seats for the majority or Republicans succeeding at holding it, said Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

Boise State football avoided a near-catastrophic home defeat to Texas State last night, eking out a 46-45 win despite the visiting Bobcats embarking on a 36-0 second-half run. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 Nov. 2026

In Colombia’s rural Guaviare region, poor ranchers eke out a living in obscurity, surrounded by armed rebels who traffic cocaine. — New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for eke out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Kids Definition

eke out

verb

ˈēk-

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