Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hand-to-mouth 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 Both dropped out of college and essentially lived hand-to-mouth in order to pursue their musical dreams. Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2025 Worse, the company is living hand-to-mouth because of the minuscule revenues, large negative earnings, and high cash outflow. John S. Tobey, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 The brand recommends using them in tandem with NRTs to satiate the hand-to-mouth habit of vaping. Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-to-mouth
Adjective
  • For now, Swifties only have the song titles, multiple variant covers, and sparse details shared during the singer’s two-hour long New Heights podcast appearance to shape their understanding of the album.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The pros and cons of sparse attention An AI model makes decisions based on its training data and new information, such as a prompt.
    Tasmin Lockwood, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Details on the deal were scarce, but the studio heads were enthusiastic about the new partnership.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Unfortunately, bargains are scarce in South End – even a quick lunch carries a premium.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Similar protests occurred in Brazil over steep living costs and poor healthcare and education ahead of the country hosting the 2014 World Cup tournament.
    Connor Greene, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Over time, dysfunctional breathing reinforces poor posture and scapular instability.
    Dana Santas, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hand-to-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-to-mouth. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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