hand-to-mouth

adjective

ˈhan(d)-tə-ˈmau̇th 

ˈhan-də-

: having or providing nothing to spare beyond basic necessities

a hand-to-mouth existence

hand to mouth adverb

Synonyms of hand-to-mouth

• sparse
• scarce
• poor

Examples of hand-to-mouth in a Sentence

survived on a hand-to-mouth income that came from any odd job that he could find

Recent Examples on the Web

Drop Shots 💰 How match-fixers prey on tennis players living a hand-to-mouth existence lower down the sport’s rankings. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 4 June 2026

Behavioral habits, including hand-to-mouth motion, inhalation and smoking rituals may also contribute to why quitting is difficult for many smokers. — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

In leading the study, Rogers tested 30 braiding hair products across human, plant-based, and synthetic categories, including brands people specifically asked him to evaluate, like Gyal and Rebundle, using a hand-to-mouth risk assessment. — Essence, 1 Apr. 2026

At the start of The Big Fake, a Netflix dramatization of one criminal’s involvement in the most tumultuous events in post-war Italy, Toni Chichiarelli (Pietro Castellitto) is a talented painter living hand-to-mouth as a portrait artist on the streets of Rome. — Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hand-to-mouth

adjective

-tə-ˈmau̇th

: having or providing nothing to spare

a hand-to-mouth existence

hand to mouth adverb