# live and die by

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/live-and-die-by
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Be completely reliant upon.

## Examples

- Professional traders live and die by the daily stock market numbers.
- In this competitive industry, small startups often live and die by the success of their very first product launch.
- The seasoned detective lived and died by his instincts, trusting his gut feeling even when the evidence pointed in an entirely different direction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.