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live hand to mouth

VERB
beg
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bite call on hustle scrounge
STRONG
benefit brace bum burn buzz cadge chisel freeload knock mooch nick panhandle score sponge tap touch want
WEAK
ask alms call upon clamor for dime up hit up mendicate nickel up pass the hat put the bite on put the touch on solicit charity sponge on
Antonyms
WEAK
give
VERB
panhandle
Synonyms
STRONG
bum cadge freeload hustle mooch scrounge sponge
WEAK
ask alms hit up hold out one's hand pass the hat solicit charity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Most farmers are not wealthy land barons; they live hand to mouth on tiny and sometimes non-existent profit margins."

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

Increasingly, people live hand to mouth, buying a tomato here, a few onions there as they manage to scrape together enough bolivars for just the basics.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

“Nobody in my restaurant can work this week. They live hand to mouth, and I am responsible for them,” she said.

From Washington Post • Aug. 23, 2021

Children, especially under age 3, live hand to mouth in the most literal way.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 9, 2014

Most of us live hand to mouth: we don't save, we don't invest.

From The Guardian • Jun. 4, 2013