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

Vonnegut’s novel is a gem from a simpler era of possible space exploration, complete with the dumbest Martian invasion in literature, kitelike beings that subsist on Mercury’s vibrations, and, of course, Vonnegut’s perennial alien characters, the Tralfamadorians. —Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 12 June 2026

In Philadelphia, impoverished people often subsisted on bread. —Carolyn Zola, The Conversation, 11 June 2026

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

Rhymes for subsist on

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