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
The winners will be announced on Saturday, May 23 at the Closing Ceremony, broadcast live by France Télévisions in France and by Brut.
—
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
The vast majority of deputies still live by those values every day.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Why do seagulls live by the sea?
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
All were there to see the curtain unveiled behind a monster movie that blended horror and comedy, helped bring about the PG-13 rating, launched Chris Columbus‘ writing career, and introduced a set of rules a generation of movie-watchers lived by.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for live by
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Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
The vast majority of deputies still live by those values every day.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Why do seagulls live by the sea?
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
All were there to see the curtain unveiled behind a monster movie that blended horror and comedy, helped bring about the PG-13 rating, launched Chris Columbus‘ writing career, and introduced a set of rules a generation of movie-watchers lived by.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 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 12 May. 2026.
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