Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

Live and learn

Cultural  

  1. Learn from experience and from your mistakes.

live and learn Idioms  

  1. Profit from experience, as in I ignored the garden book, planted my beans in March, and they all rotted—live and learn. [Second half of 1500s]

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.

Harris could just say: You live and learn.

From Salon • Oct. 21, 2024

"I'd say there were a few tactical errors but you live and learn," said the 19-year-old, who will continue to chase the European 1500m standard in the coming weeks.

From BBC • May 11, 2024

When a flabbergasted Fox host, Dana Perino, pointed to Mr. Bolduc’s adamant statements before the primary, he shrugged: “You know, live and learn, right?”

From New York Times • Sep. 23, 2022

When asked about this change, he said: “We, you know, live and learn, right?”

From Slate • Sep. 20, 2022

“Let her make herself her own To give or keep, to live, and learn, and be All that not harms distinctive womanhood.”

From The Education of American Girls by Brackett, Anna C. (Anna Callender)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.