as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
survived on a hand-to-mouth income that came from any odd job that he could find
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Recent Examples of hand-to-mouth
The film is not blind to how easily big dreams can be derailed, especially for the hand-to-mouth creative class in a Midwestern outpost.
—
Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
While their musician patriarch is on the road, the eldest sibling has become the clear-eyed voice of discipline in the household who struggles with the strain of their hand-to-mouth life.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 20 Dec. 2025
Adams was already familiar with the hand-to-mouth preparation for matches, having taken charge in April 1999.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
Ever since then, the Ekdals have lived hand-to-mouth, bolstered by Håkon’s charity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
At the center of the story is a jazz musician called Y, a bohemian, artsy type who is fed up with his hand-to-mouth existence and so agrees to a lucrative commission, writing an upbeat song to inspire national pride in the wake of the Hamas terror attacks that took place on October 7, 2023.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 8 July 2025
Compounded by the launch of the first Movistar Plus+ series in 2017, and the later arrival of other global streamers, Spain has finally emerged from its hand-to-mouth past.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 16 June 2025
Even the champions predominantly lived hand-to-mouth.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 11 June 2025
That ecstatic communal experience is a glorious moment of freedom for oppressed people, most of them living hand-to-mouth in an environment of hatred and exploitation.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
While their musician patriarch is on the road, the eldest sibling has become the clear-eyed voice of discipline in the household who struggles with the strain of their hand-to-mouth life.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 20 Dec. 2025
Adams was already familiar with the hand-to-mouth preparation for matches, having taken charge in April 1999.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
Ever since then, the Ekdals have lived hand-to-mouth, bolstered by Håkon’s charity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
At the center of the story is a jazz musician called Y, a bohemian, artsy type who is fed up with his hand-to-mouth existence and so agrees to a lucrative commission, writing an upbeat song to inspire national pride in the wake of the Hamas terror attacks that took place on October 7, 2023.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 8 July 2025
Compounded by the launch of the first Movistar Plus+ series in 2017, and the later arrival of other global streamers, Spain has finally emerged from its hand-to-mouth past.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 16 June 2025
Even the champions predominantly lived hand-to-mouth.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 11 June 2025
That ecstatic communal experience is a glorious moment of freedom for oppressed people, most of them living hand-to-mouth in an environment of hatred and exploitation.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-to-mouth
Adjective
-
Even though the snow in the Rockies is sparse, Colorado ski-makers are still gearing up to sell the latest and greatest.—
Max Scheinblum,
Denver Post,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In a landscape where authenticity has become increasingly sparse, the rapper is proof that sometimes the best way to engage an audience is by simply being yourself.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The capacity for attention on books is so scarce, more so every year.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
And the buildout is putting stress on local water resources that communities worry will cause shortages, with 160 new facilities located in areas with scarce supply, according to Bloomberg.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In recent games, KU’s communication has been pretty poor on defense and that’s led to players taking (and too often missing) wide-open 3-pointers.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-to-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-to-mouth. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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