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

Listen to the full interview live by clicking on the blue button above. — Steve Inskeep, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026

The first rule of thumb—and a solid piece of advice to live by—is that looks can be deceiving. — Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 Nov. 2026

Considering that deer live by their noses, Woods has a logical theory about why deer are most active at dawn and dusk. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for live by

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