subsistence
noun
sub·sis·tence
səb-ˈsi-stən(t)s 
1
a(1)
: real being : existence
(2)
: the condition of remaining in existence : continuation, persistence
b
: an essential characteristic quality of something that exists
c
: the character possessed by whatever is logically conceivable
2
: means of subsisting: such as
a
: the minimum (as of food and shelter) necessary to support life
b
: a source or means of obtaining the necessities of life
Examples of subsistence in a Sentence
They depended on hunting and fishing for subsistence.
Farming is their means of subsistence.
Recent Examples on the Web
From commercial fishing to sport and subsistence, fishing in Alaska is highly regulated.
—
Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The study identified eight motivations of poaching, ranging from poaching for trophy parts of an animal to peer pressure to subsistence to opportunistic poaching.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025
Just a few hundred people live in Chichiriviche, and some 70 families depend on fishing for their subsistence, so not taking the boats out is unthinkable.
—Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
The new study, published in Nature, analyzes the risks these toxins pose to animals like clams, fish, and even whales, which some Alaska Native communities harvest for subsistence purposes.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsistence
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Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The study identified eight motivations of poaching, ranging from poaching for trophy parts of an animal to peer pressure to subsistence to opportunistic poaching.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025
Just a few hundred people live in Chichiriviche, and some 70 families depend on fishing for their subsistence, so not taking the boats out is unthinkable.
—Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
The new study, published in Nature, analyzes the risks these toxins pose to animals like clams, fish, and even whales, which some Alaska Native communities harvest for subsistence purposes.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsistence
Cite this Entry
“Subsistence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsistence. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
subsistence
noun
sub·sis·tence
səb-ˈsis-tən(t)s
1
a
: real being : existence
b
: the condition of remaining in existence : continuation, persistence
2
a
: means of subsisting
b
: the minimum (as of food and shelter) necessary to support life
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