keep the wolf from the door

idiom

informal
: to have or earn enough money to afford things (such as food and clothing) that is needed to live
They make just enough to keep the wolf from the door.

Examples of keep the wolf from the door in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
His 14 novels were written at speed to keep the wolf from the door, and, at his lowest ebb, the jailers at bay. The Economist, 27 Mar. 2021

Dictionary Entries Near keep the wolf from the door

Cite this Entry

“Keep the wolf from the door.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20the%20wolf%20from%20the%20door. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!