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
Rebekah was later found unresponsive on July 27, 2025, near a remote campsite outside Concho, Arizona, where investigators say the family had been living off-grid in a yurt without electricity or running water after relocating from Phoenix earlier that month.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
The Pats lived off explosive plays, starting with Rhamondre Stevenson’s 24-yarder on the opening drive, three long runs from TreVeyon Henderson and a few long Maye completions.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
Swipe again, and someone is living off the grid.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Deep in rural Finland, 15-year-old Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has spent her childhood living off the grid, training to become an assassin.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live off
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Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
The Pats lived off explosive plays, starting with Rhamondre Stevenson’s 24-yarder on the opening drive, three long runs from TreVeyon Henderson and a few long Maye completions.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
Swipe again, and someone is living off the grid.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Deep in rural Finland, 15-year-old Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has spent her childhood living off the grid, training to become an assassin.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
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 8 Jan. 2026.
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