subsist on
phrasal verb
subsisted on; subsisting on; subsists on
: to use (something) as a way to stay alive : to live on (something)
poor people subsisting on just one or two dollars a day
The villagers subsist almost entirely on rice and fish.
(humorous) My brother subsists on pizza.
Examples of subsist on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Eventually, they were sent to a work camp in the wilds of Siberia where Yetta shared a room with a horse and subsisted on frozen food.
—
Malina Saval, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Negan’s been subsisting on a diet of cockroaches and the occasional violin solo, and she’s just been… cool with that?
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 5 May 2025
Lower-caste Hindus and Muslims were frequently forced to subsist on food considered inferior, such as crabs, frogs, and snakes.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 2 May 2025
Before long, Mallory stopped eating entirely, subsisting on sweet tea and water, wasting away.
—Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsist on
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.
Malina Saval, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Negan’s been subsisting on a diet of cockroaches and the occasional violin solo, and she’s just been… cool with that?
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 5 May 2025
Lower-caste Hindus and Muslims were frequently forced to subsist on food considered inferior, such as crabs, frogs, and snakes.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 2 May 2025
Before long, Mallory stopped eating entirely, subsisting on sweet tea and water, wasting away.
—Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsist on
Cite this Entry
“Subsist on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsist%20on. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share