# feed off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/feed-off
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to get energy, strength, or ideas from something else. You use this when one thing uses another thing to grow or become stronger.

For teachers: to derive energy, inspiration, or emotional momentum from a source. The verb is transitive and often describes a parasitic or symbiotic relationship between two entities or concepts.

## Examples

- The performer feeds off the energy of the crowd.
- In a toxic workplace, some managers feed off the fear of their employees to maintain control.
- The populist movement began to feed off the growing economic anxieties of the middle class, gaining momentum with every new report of inflation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He feeds off from the crowd." but "He feeds off the crowd." — The particle 'off' acts as the preposition; adding 'from' is redundant and incorrect.

## Usage notes

- Always followed by an object, which is the source of the energy or information.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'feed on', which is more literal or biological, and 'live off', which implies financial or physical survival.

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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.