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

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. —Allison Deangelis, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026

The roundtable discussion and mini-rally came one day after the tax filing deadline, and as delivery drivers, who often subsist on tips, face increasing gas prices in the wake of the energy disruption that followed the start of the war. —James Powel, USA Today, 17 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

In any case, the tree in question is drought-tolerant and will easily subsist on a single weekly soaking or less when its shallow roots are covered with mulch. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for subsist on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• chitosan
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon