# eke out

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/eke-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to make a small amount of something last longer by using it very carefully.

For teachers: to supplement or stretch a meager resource with great effort; often used in the context of survival or making a living.

## Examples

- They had to eke out their food until the next delivery.
- The retired couple managed to eke out a living by selling vegetables from their small garden.
- During the long winter, the villagers were forced to eke out their remaining grain supplies by mixing them with ground bark.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He eked his salary out." but "He eked out his salary." — while technically possible to separate, 'eke out' is almost always used in the inseparable pattern with the object following the particle.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by 'a living', 'an existence', or a specific resource like 'supplies'.
- Teaching tip: the word 'eke' comes from an Old English word meaning 'to increase'; help students by linking it to the idea of 'stretching' a resource.

---

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.