subsist
verb (used without object)
to exist; continue in existence.
subsists
-
present tense formof subsist (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
In one of Annie Proulx’s Wyoming stories, a battered old rancher subsists on what he calls “hammer coffee”—“strong enough to dissolve the handle, float the head.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
The homegrown awards show subsists entirely on ticket sales, which range from $20 to $40, depending on the time of purchase — and the occasional donation — and has never turned a profit, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025
This could affect the bird's ability to survive in tidal marshes, where it subsists on saltwater and salty crustaceans, something freshwater birds are ill-adapted to.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 24, 2024
The dark brown-and-tan-colored snake, named Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, reaches up to 16 inches long, subsists on lizards and frogs, and is considered harmless to human beings.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 16, 2023
The food this family subsists on is like nothing I’ve ever eaten before.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
