live off

verb

lived off; living off; lives off

transitive verb

: to use (something or someone) as the main source of what one needs to survive (such as money or food)
… the indigenous … people, who have inhabited the rain forest of Irian Jaya, living off the land, for thousands of years.Eyal Press
… the fish goes into a kind of hibernation, living off its reserves of fat …Mark Carwardine
… she is one of the few Iditarod competitors who have turned professional, living off race winnings.National Wildlife
… a growing subculture of people who have reduced their spending habits and live off consumer waste.Erika Hayasaki
Max lives off his father …Harold Beaver

Examples of live off 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.
Instead, Gronkowski lived off his endorsement money from brand deals with the likes of Dunkin’ Donuts, T-Mobile, and USAA. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024 Public lice are tiny crab-looking parasites that attach to pubic hair and live off human blood. Wendy Wisner, Health, 31 Oct. 2024 In some cases, these shows highlight the need for sustainable practices, such as finding ways to live off the land without depleting resources. Solitaire Townsend, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024 The manager knows that champions can’t live off past glories. Arturo Conde, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for live off 

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of live off was in 1609

Dictionary Entries Near live off

Cite this Entry

“Live off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20off. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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