Synonyms of make ends meet

make ends meet

phrase

as in cope

to meet one's day-to-day needs

The couple's income was just enough to make ends meet each month.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cope
• do
• get on
• survive
• make out
• manage
• get along
• make do
• get by
• make shift
• fare
• shift
• afford
• carry on
• fend for oneself
• eke out
• last
• scrape (by or through)
• contrive
• scrape (out)
• scrounge
• squeeze
• swing
• wring
• wrest

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fail
• fall short
• collapse
• flounder
• decline
• slump
• peter (out)
• give up
• wane
• fizzle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of make ends meet

Rather, those with lower incomes and who earn lower returns are much likelier in Morningstar’s simulation to clean their accounts out, using the cash to buy a car, pay for an education or just make ends meet. — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 3 July 2026

Currently, nearly 50 percent of working-age households are struggling to make ends meet. — Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Abraham died when Brooks was only 2, leaving his brothers to help raise Mel and make ends meet in the household. — Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 28 June 2026