live on (something)
idiom
1
: to have or use (an amount of money) to pay for the things that one needs to live
You can't live on this salary.
2
: to have (a particular food) as the only or main food that one eats
They lived mainly/mostly on fruits and berries.
Examples of live on (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Indeed, after plodding into the next decade with multiple cast changes along the way, the show will live on, perhaps appropriately, in several new programs.
—
Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 5 May 2023
Writers can’t live on donuts alone, even if they’re delivered by Jay Leno, nor will the generous offers of pizza sent to picket lines solely sustain the hundreds of sign-carrying scribes marching in front of studios across Los Angeles and New York.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 4 May 2023
Yet, his legacy and impact on the customer experience world continue to live on.
—Shep Hyken, Forbes, 3 May 2023
Shirley Nannini’s 33-year tenure at Evanston Township High School as a physical education teacher, co-athletic director and coach may have ended, but now her legacy will live on.
—Corey Schmidt, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2023
The invasive rosy wolf snails still live on the islands, but are now extremely rare, as Justin Gerlach, a biologist at the University of Cambridge who is involved with the snail reintroduction efforts, tells Mongabay’s Elizabeth Claire Alberts.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2023
About 90 families live on Givat Hirel, which was founded in 1998 with encouragement from Ariel Sharon, Israel's then foreign minister.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 2 May 2023
The Last Last Late Late Show with James Corden will be broadcast live on CBS and will stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ on April 27 at 12:37 a.m.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2023
Research how much land is required for livestock to thrive—most small animals like goats or chickens can live on an acre of land.
—Angela Belt, House Beautiful, 22 Apr. 2023
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Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 5 May 2023
Writers can’t live on donuts alone, even if they’re delivered by Jay Leno, nor will the generous offers of pizza sent to picket lines solely sustain the hundreds of sign-carrying scribes marching in front of studios across Los Angeles and New York.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 4 May 2023
Yet, his legacy and impact on the customer experience world continue to live on.
—Shep Hyken, Forbes, 3 May 2023
Shirley Nannini’s 33-year tenure at Evanston Township High School as a physical education teacher, co-athletic director and coach may have ended, but now her legacy will live on.
—Corey Schmidt, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2023
The invasive rosy wolf snails still live on the islands, but are now extremely rare, as Justin Gerlach, a biologist at the University of Cambridge who is involved with the snail reintroduction efforts, tells Mongabay’s Elizabeth Claire Alberts.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2023
About 90 families live on Givat Hirel, which was founded in 1998 with encouragement from Ariel Sharon, Israel's then foreign minister.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 2 May 2023
The Last Last Late Late Show with James Corden will be broadcast live on CBS and will stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ on April 27 at 12:37 a.m.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2023
Research how much land is required for livestock to thrive—most small animals like goats or chickens can live on an acre of land.
—Angela Belt, House Beautiful, 22 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Live on (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20on%20%28something%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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