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

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All considered, never going to bed angry sounds like a good rule to live by. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 May 2025 The Celtics continue to live by the code of the 3-pointer. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 May 2025 Featuring the iconic score from Tchaikovsky, which will be performed live by the New Ballet Orchestra, this two-hour semi-streamlined production is a good bet for a family outing. Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 15 May 2025 Invest in the systems and technology to live by scoreboards. Damon Stafford, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for live by

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Cite this Entry

“Live by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20by. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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