live by

verb

lived by; living by; lives by

1

: to agree with and follow (something, such as a set of beliefs)

He tried to live by his faith.

a principle I try to live by

2

: to survive by (doing something)

They were an ancient people who lived by hunting and gathering.

Examples of live by in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Harry lives by a code, stealing and dealing only tangible things — cash, phones, jewelry. — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Voters in the poll disapproved of his handling of the cost of living by 69% to 29% and gas prices by 73% to 24%. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

The song is everywhere, from Paris Fashion Week to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to being performed live by Charli xcx — with an appearance from the pink-haired pop star herself. — Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2026

The nearly three dozen members of Troop 32 strive to live by the ideals of Scout Law. — Juli McDonald, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for live by

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi