# live on sth

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/live-on-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to have only one type of food or a small amount of money to pay for everything you need.

For teachers: to subsist on a particular food source or a specific, often limited, amount of income; functions as an intransitive verb followed by a prepositional object.

## Examples

- When I was a student, I lived on pasta and beans.
- It is becoming increasingly difficult for retired people to live on the state pension alone as prices rise.
- The indigenous tribes of the high plateau have lived on a diet of hardy grains and root vegetables for centuries despite the harsh climate.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They live on 500 dollars the month." but "They live on 500 dollars a month." — the phrase requires the source of income to follow 'on' directly, often paired with a frequency expression.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a specific food item or a source of income like a salary or pension.
- Teaching tip: distinguish between the literal sense of survival and the figurative sense of being obsessed with something, such as 'living on adrenaline'.

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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.