# do without

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/do-without
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to manage or live your life without something that you usually have or need.

For teachers: to manage to survive or function in the absence of a specific resource or person; often used in contexts of necessity or forced austerity.

## Examples

- We will have to do without sugar for a few days.
- If the bus doesn't come soon, I'll just have to do without a coffee this morning.
- The expedition was forced to do without their primary communication equipment after the storm damaged the satellite uplink.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I can't do without of my phone." but "I can't do without my phone." — 'without' is a preposition here, so adding 'of' after it is grammatically incorrect.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun or a gerund representing the missing item or activity.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'go without', which is very similar but often implies a more serious or physical lack, whereas 'do without' focuses on the ability to manage the situation.

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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.