live for

verb

lived for; living for; lives for
1
: to wait or hope for (something) very eagerly
I live for the day when we'll be together!
2
: to think of (something) as the most important or enjoyable part of one's life
She lives for her work.
3
: to think of (something) as a reason for being alive
He's depressed and feels as if he has nothing left to live for.

Examples of live for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The union’s foremost demand has been a contract that guarantees wages commensurate with the skyrocketing cost of living for a single adult New Yorker. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The reason Dancing With the Stars doesn’t air live for its West Coast audience stems back to local news and the coveted primetime programming slots. — Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 Twenty years ago, my decisions were based on the fact that Patrick had everything to live for. — Marie Lisette Rimer, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026 Trump, who seems to enjoy belittling reporters more than most other aspects of his job, lives for television coverage. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for live for

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Live for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20for. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster