subsist

verb

sub·sist | \ səb-ˈsist

subsisted; subsisting; subsists

Definition of subsist

1a : to have existence : be

b : persist, continue

2 : to have or acquire the necessities of life (such as food and clothing) especially : to nourish oneself subsisting on roots, berries and grubs

3a : to hold true

b : to be logically conceivable as the subject of true statements

transitive verb

: to support with provisions

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about subsist

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Synonyms & Antonyms for subsist

Synonyms

be, breathe, exist, live

Antonyms

depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, succumb

Examples of subsist in a Sentence

The author's right to royalties shall subsist for the term of the copyright. a love that was as great as any that ever did subsist

Recent Examples on the Web

That devotion to the form, even at its least fashionable, means Neel, who grew up middle class and bored in small town Pennsylvania, subsisted for much of her adult life on welfare checks. — Julia Felsenthal, Vogue, "Searching for Myself in Alice Neel’s Radical Portraits," 26 Feb. 2019 When the Puritans arrived in North America in the 1620s and 1630s, the Narragansetts—really a confederation of tribes—were mostly peaceable, subsisting on fishing, trapping, farming and handicrafts. — Roger Lowenstein, WSJ, "‘God, War, and Providence’ Review: When Conquest Was Puritanical," 13 June 2018 For three weeks earlier this summer, the 142nd had been conducting an emergency deployment readiness exercise in Wyoming, training and sleeping outdoors, subsisting on field rations. — Bob Greene, WSJ, "A Soldier Never Forgets North Platte," 22 July 2018 Those prices are roughly in line with global standards but still out of reach for many Cubans who subsist on state salaries of about $30 a month. — Andrea Rodriguez, The Seattle Times, "Cuba to begin full internet access for mobile phones," 5 Dec. 2018 Google's Dragonfly app would allow the company access to a market that has mainly subsisted on homegrown and censorship-friendly internet products, like the search engine Baidu. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Google Employees Sign Protest Letter Against Secretive Chinese Search Engine," 27 Nov. 2018 Meanwhile, security agencies work together to counter a drug racket that subsists on American demand and respects no boundaries. — The Economist, "Why America and Mexico are destined to grow even closer," 21 June 2018 For the nearly 35% of the workforce that subsists on freelance income, taxes can be extra tricky. — Josh Smith, USA TODAY, "Top 15 questions people are asking this tax season," 15 Mar. 2018 In the wake of these legal costs, Theranos has been subsisting on a loan backed by its patent portfolio since late last year. — Christopher Weaver, WSJ, "Theranos Settles Investor Suit as Funds Run Low," 22 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subsist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.