subsistence level

noun

: a level of income that provides only enough money for basic needs

living below (the) subsistence level

Examples of subsistence level in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Change is hard for everyone, from people living at subsistence level in sub-Saharan Africa to those living in relative splendor on the California coast. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

For centuries, much of society existed at a subsistence level from one generation to the next. — Forbestv, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2026

Georgia, for example, ranks near the top of the B-READY labor assessment, despite not having updated its minimum wage since 1999 and setting it below the subsistence level. — Dhaisy Paredes Guzman, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2025

Prehistoric humans had a subsistence level of food, and were, overall, fairly healthy. — John Mariani, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024

Retirees, already living close to a subsistence level, could slip deeper into poverty if their pensions are not topped up to keep pace with inflation. — Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024

Rhymes for subsistence level

• bevel
• devil
• daredevil
• sublevel
• multilevel