live by
phrasal 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
While reading a Regency romance, the social rules a woman was forced to live by seem almost silly to our modern sensibilities.
—
Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Expecting 22,000 spectators, the event will be the first time it will be broadcast live by Netflix.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 22 Jan. 2026
Most of us are still living by an Industrial Age life script — learn, work, retire.
—Ravi Kumar S, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2026
Joseph preaches players before scheme and lives by it.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for live by
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Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Expecting 22,000 spectators, the event will be the first time it will be broadcast live by Netflix.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 22 Jan. 2026
Most of us are still living by an Industrial Age life script — learn, work, retire.
—Ravi Kumar S, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2026
Joseph preaches players before scheme and lives by it.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for live by
Cite this Entry
“Live by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20by. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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