subsist

verb sub·sist \ səb-ˈsist \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of subsist

intransitive verb

1 a : 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

3 a : to hold true

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

transitive verb

: to support with provisions

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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 of subsist from the Web

The only plausible way that could happen would be if the microbes were subsisting on the petrogenic carbon, which would have shed its radioactive signature long ago, thanks to its subsurface journey.

— paul voosen, Science | AAAS, "Eroding mountains could release, not trap, greenhouse gases," 12 Apr. 2018
Konzo occurs in periods of drought or war, when people are forced to subsist on a diet of bitter cassava alone, or eat it raw.

— Longreads, "Where Have You Hidden the Cholera?," 5 Apr. 2018
Underused stations on expensive tracks are one of the many reasons France’s vaunted rail system is insolvent, subsisting on life support from the state.

— Bloomberg.com, "France’s Once-Vaunted Trains Are Macron’s Biggest Challenge Yet," 3 Apr. 2018
The remaining workers subsist on partial pay, commonly disbursed with government assistance in China to stem unrest.

— keith bradsher and ailin tang, New York Times, "Trump Condemns Chinese Factories. China Is Already Closing Some.," 13 Mar. 2018
As recently as August last year, the Black Ferns overcame England in the women's World Cup final while subsisting on a daily allowance.

— CNN, "New Zealand: Women's Rugby World Cup winners awarded pro contracts," 12 Mar. 2018
Some subsist on the thin gruel of political cartoon shows and online impeachment petitions.

— sam dolnick, miamiherald, "After Trump won, this man vowed to become ignorant. He’s been shockingly successful | Miami Herald," 11 Mar. 2018
The pangs of Norman’s endometriosis intersect with barbed memories of childhood—and with the legacy of a mother who subsists on the pain of hunger.

— rachel vorona cote, The New Republic, "The Reality of Women’s Pain," 7 Mar. 2018
Mendoza and her team compared the DNA and microbiomes of three species of vampire bats to those of bats that subsist on insects, fruit or meat.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "How Vampire Bats Can Survive on a Diet of Blood," 24 Feb. 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.

Origin and Etymology of subsist

Late Latin subsistere to exist, from Latin, to come to a halt, remain, from sub- + sistere to come to a stand; akin to Latin stare to stand — more at stand

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First Known Use: 1549

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