eke out

verb

eked out; eking out; ekes out
Synonyms of eke outnext

transitive verb

1
: to make up for the deficiencies of : supplement
eked out his income by getting a second job
2
: to make (a supply) last by economy

Examples of eke out in a Sentence

eked out a living from the family's small farm
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Crowley eked out a primary win by less than half a percentage point in August, and Tiffany is banking on low turnout among Democrats. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 And this time around in the NLCS, the Milwaukee Brewers eked out a statement win versus the boys in blue. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Today, those cultivating followers in addition to a wardrobe have eked out more elbow space. — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026 The 34-year-old lives in the Khair Khana neighborhood of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul with her three children and her husband, who ekes out a living as a street vendor. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for eke out

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of eke out was in 1596

Rhymes for eke out

See All Rhymes for eke out

Browse Nearby Words

ekename
eke out
EKG
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eke%20out. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

eke out

verb
ˈēk-
1
a
: supplement entry 2
eked out their small income by working for neighbors
b
: to make (a supply) last by careful use
2
: to get with great difficulty
eked out a living from the poor soil of the family's farm
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