1. Home
2. Idioms
3. subsist on

subsist on

---

---

subsist on something

to exist on something; to stay alive on something. We can barely subsist on this amount of money. We need more! They are able to do no more than subsist on what Mrs. Harris is paid.

See also: on

subsist on

v.

To survive by using something as a source of food: The people of the war-torn region subsisted on bread, water, and cheese for several months.

See also: on