make ends meet

phrase

: to make one's means adequate to one's needs

did all they could do to make ends meet

Examples of make ends meet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her husband started selling his collection of vintage rock band T-shirts online to help make ends meet. — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Banbury is a traditional farmer who is really about making ends meet. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026

Candidates also sought to address public anxiety over rising energy prices and inflation, as many families, particularly in rural areas, struggle to make ends meet. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

To help make ends meet this season, the farm has turned its attention to other crops, including watermelon, sweet corn and pick-your-own pumpkins. — Tara Lynch, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for make ends meet

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete