# live for

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/live-for
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to think of something or someone as the most important part of your life. You use this when you love an activity or person so much that they are your main reason for being happy.

For teachers: to regard something or someone as the primary motivation or purpose of one's existence. This phrasal verb is transitive and requires an object representing the source of one's passion.

## Examples

- He lives for his music and practices every single night.
- After a stressful week at the office, Sarah says she lives for her quiet Saturday mornings in the garden.
- While many contemporary artists focus on fame, she truly lives for the process of painting, finding her only real fulfillment in the studio.

## Pitfalls

- Not "She lives for travel the world." but "She lives for traveling the world." — The preposition 'for' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form) rather than a base verb.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is followed by a noun or a gerund to show what someone is passionate about.
- Teaching tip: Contrast this with 'live on' to help students distinguish between survival needs and emotional passions.

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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.