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
In the African country of Malawi, for instance, the Innovation Lab has launched a promising project encouraging small-time farmers who mostly produce subsistence crops like cassava and cowpeas to diversify into soybeans.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
The new study examines subsistence at all U.S. cities with populations above 600,000.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2025
Angie herself, the daughter of Zimbabwean subsistence farmers, was one of those girls.
—Marc Silver, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
His plan is to acquire a 50-acre field next year, which would put him into a small circle of large-scale agricultural producers in Senegal, where 95 percent of farms are small, mostly subsistence holdings.
—Carmen Abd Ali, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subsistence
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
The new study examines subsistence at all U.S. cities with populations above 600,000.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2025
Angie herself, the daughter of Zimbabwean subsistence farmers, was one of those girls.
—Marc Silver, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
His plan is to acquire a 50-acre field next year, which would put him into a small circle of large-scale agricultural producers in Senegal, where 95 percent of farms are small, mostly subsistence holdings.
—Carmen Abd Ali, New York Times, 20 Apr. 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 10 Jun. 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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