subsist on
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
Aguilar, who has two young daughters, says his family is subsisting on food banks and relies on donations for rent.
—
Naisha Roy, ProPublica, 29 Apr. 2026
Barnes-Lentz opted to study nutrition in college after subsisting on a diet of Pop-Tarts and Toaster Strudel.
—David Oliver, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
The acquisition is a boon for the small startup, which has subsisted on $60 million over the last five years and previously struggled to stay afloat.
—Elaine Chen, STAT, 24 Apr. 2026
Most Koreans were forced to subsist on low-quality cereals imported from Manchuria instead of their own rice.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026
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Naisha Roy, ProPublica, 29 Apr. 2026
Barnes-Lentz opted to study nutrition in college after subsisting on a diet of Pop-Tarts and Toaster Strudel.
—David Oliver, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
The acquisition is a boon for the small startup, which has subsisted on $60 million over the last five years and previously struggled to stay afloat.
—Elaine Chen, STAT, 24 Apr. 2026
Most Koreans were forced to subsist on low-quality cereals imported from Manchuria instead of their own rice.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026
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 16 May. 2026.
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