live by
phrasal verb
lived by; living by; lives by
1
: to agree with and follow (something, such as a set of beliefs)
He tried to live by his faith.
a principle I try to live by
2
: to survive by (doing something)
They were an ancient people who lived by hunting and gathering.
Examples of live by in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a sad irony, her grieving family strives to live by Maggie’s words and channel her spirit.
—
Faith Karimi, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
It will be televised live by Golf Channel from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The winner in the 18-man field will receive $30,000 of the $100,000 purse.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
The ceremony was aired live by 17 networks between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET.
—Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Second, those who live by the sword die by the sword.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for live by 
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Faith Karimi, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
It will be televised live by Golf Channel from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The winner in the 18-man field will receive $30,000 of the $100,000 purse.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
The ceremony was aired live by 17 networks between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET.
—Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Second, those who live by the sword die by the sword.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for live by
Dictionary Entries Near live by
Cite this Entry
“Live by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20by. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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