scrape by
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.
Jobs outside of the farm are common in rural areas, and they’ve become increasingly important for farmers needing to scrape by in tough times.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
That’s still too pricey for most in a country where millions scrape by on sporadic income from street vending, domestic work, construction and other iterations of the informal economy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026
To scrape by, he has turned to selling off his possessions on an internet auction site and accepting a loan from a friend.
From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025
James was a stalwart patriarch of a working-class family on the Chicago's South Side struggling to scrape by, earning what he could by juggling part-time work.
From Salon • Oct. 1, 2024
It didn’t make me as brave as old Daniel, but it always gave me at least a little hope the Lord would let me scrape by.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
