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

But right now, the example of a good life lived by a decent person feels like an unnervingly radical thing. — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Racine is also seeing more people move in than out, suggesting that buyers are increasingly looking beyond the country’s coastlines for affordable places to live by the water. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2026

The first day of Lindsay’s trial began Monday, July 27, in a Massachusetts courtroom and was streamed live by Court TV. — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026

Not play-act, but do the real work, make the hard and noble choices, not forsake his vows but live by them. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Rhymes for live by

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