subsist
gb/sʌbsˈɪst/ us/sʌbsˈɪst/
C1
English
megél, tengődik, fennmarad, fennáll, érvényben marad
VERB
C1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] subsists (on [food/money/source])
After losing his job, he had to subsist on savings for several months.
Miután elvesztette az állását, több hónapig a megtakarításaiból kellett megélnie.
Some families in the area subsist on less than two dollars a day.
A környéken néhány család kevesebb mint napi két dollárból él.
During the expedition, they subsisted on dried food and melted snow.
Learner examples
For a week, I subsisted on soup and bread.
Egy hétig levesen és kenyéren éltem.
They subsist on a very small income.
Nagyon alacsony jövedelemből élnek.
Common mistake:
Often used intransitively and commonly with on/off (e.g., subsist on rice). Do not use it as a direct transitive verb (*subsist money).
Meaning
manage to survive on little
Collocations
subsist on very little
|subsist on a small income
|subsist on welfare
|subsist on benefits
|subsist on bread and water
|subsist on instant noodles
|subsist on meager wages
|subsist off scraps
|barely subsist
|subsist from day to day
Synonyms
survive (More common and less formal.)
|
get by (More informal; emphasizes managing despite difficulty.)
|
make do (Focuses on coping with what is available.)
Antonyms
thrive (To do well rather than merely survive.)
|
prosper (To become successful or well-off financially.)
Themes
daily_life
|money
|food
|hardship
Definition
To live when you only have a little food or money.
To manage to stay alive or continue living when you have only a small amount of food or money.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
[something] subsists
Even after the reform, deep inequalities continued to subsist.
A reform után is fennmaradtak a mély egyenlőtlenségek.
The court found that the right still subsisted despite the later agreement.
A bíróság megállapította, hogy a jog a későbbi megállapodás ellenére is fennállt.
A few traditional crafts subsist in the region, though they are declining.
Learner examples
Some old habits still subsist.
Néhány régi szokás még ma is fennmarad.
The rule subsists in many countries.
Ez a szabály sok országban még mindig érvényben van.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with persist: subsist emphasizes continued existence (often in formal writing), while persist often emphasizes continuing despite attempts to stop it.
Meaning
continue to exist or remain valid
Collocations
still subsist
|continue to subsist
|subsist for years
|the agreement subsists
|a right subsists
|copyright subsists
|problems subsist
|doubts subsist
|a custom subsists
|the rule subsists
Synonyms
remain (More common and broadly used.)
|
continue (Neutral; focuses on ongoing duration.)
|
persist (Often suggests continuing despite opposition or difficulty.)
Antonyms
cease (To stop existing or happening.)
|
expire (To come to an end at a set time (especially rights, contracts).)
Themes
law
|time
|society
|business
Definition
To still exist or still be true/valid.
To continue to exist over time, especially despite changes, or to remain in force or valid.
Grammar
Dictionary form
subsist
IPA
GB/sʌbsˈɪst/
US/sʌbsˈɪst/
Syllables & stress
sub - sist (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (sist)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: subsist
- 3rd Person Singular: subsists
- Present Participle: subsisting
- Past: subsisted
Expressions
subsist in [something]
1/sʌbsˈɪst ˈɪn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
exist or be found in
To exist in a certain form or to be based on a certain thing (formal).
Examples
- The risk subsists in the lack of clear safety rules.
- A small pocket of resistance still subsists in the mountains.
- For her, happiness subsists in close friendships rather than wealth.
subsist off [something]
1/sʌbsˈɪst ˈɔf sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
informal
survive using only this
To live using only this (informal).
Examples
- For a few days we subsisted off snacks from the gas station.
- He was subsisting off credit cards until his next paycheck arrived.
Learner examples
- We subsisted off sandwiches.
subsist on [something]
1/sʌbsˈɪst ˈɔn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
survive using only this
To live using only this food or money.
Examples
- Students sometimes subsist on coffee and cheap noodles during exams.
- In the winter, the animals subsist on stored fat.
- She subsisted on odd jobs until she found full-time work.
Learner examples
- I subsist on rice when I travel.
- They subsist on government benefits.