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.

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Cite this Entry

“Subsist on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsist%20on. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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