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 the aircraft is pilotless and flies remotely, it is monitored live by multivehicle supervisors on the ground.
—
Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Yet Cher is a woman of principle who lives by her code: to thine own self be true, as Hamlet didn’t quite say.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2025
Truckers and motorcyclists live by hand waves and lane courtesies—join the culture.
—Josh Max, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
The fossils included a clue as to why the pterosaur was found among creatures that lived by streams.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for live by
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Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Yet Cher is a woman of principle who lives by her code: to thine own self be true, as Hamlet didn’t quite say.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2025
Truckers and motorcyclists live by hand waves and lane courtesies—join the culture.
—Josh Max, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
The fossils included a clue as to why the pterosaur was found among creatures that lived by streams.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
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 20 Aug. 2025.
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