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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
At the start of The Big Fake, a Netflix dramatization of one criminal’s involvement in the most tumultuous events in post-war Italy, Toni Chichiarelli (Pietro Castellitto) is a talented painter living hand-to-mouth as a portrait artist on the streets of Rome.
—
Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
The occupants of this Neolithic housing development were not hand-to-mouth hunter-gatherers but settled inhabitants of a fertile floodplain.
—Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 2026
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
Still, most of Yopougon’s residents work informally and live hand-to-mouth.
—Adrien Marotte, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct. 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
Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
The occupants of this Neolithic housing development were not hand-to-mouth hunter-gatherers but settled inhabitants of a fertile floodplain.
—Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 2026
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
Still, most of Yopougon’s residents work informally and live hand-to-mouth.
—Adrien Marotte, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-to-mouth
Adjective
-
The no-fuss interior is pretty sparse, bar a handful of tables and small wine cabinet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But as space continues to expand today, and matter becomes sparser, the universe is looking increasingly like de Sitter space again.—
Shalma Wegsman,
Quanta Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Companies competed for scarce workers with healthcare coverage when wages were frozen.—
Charles Edward Gehrke,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Details were scarce on when checks would arrive, and a political battle in Congress over funding the Department of Homeland Security continued in earnest Friday.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Serious Medical and Emotional Neglect Turner said Kaiko arrived in poor health, suffering from multiple medical issues and signs of prolonged neglect.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The city of Plano scores restaurants on a 100-point system, with 100 considered a perfect score and 70 extremely poor.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-to-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-to-mouth. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
