eking (out)

present participle of eke (out)
as in scraping (up or together)
to get with great difficulty eked out a living from the family's small farm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eking (out)
earning
Verb
  • Perusini started out in the music industry, earning a living licensing songs and making and selling mix CDs in the early aughts.
    — HubSpot, HubSpot, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Presently, in this de jure socialist country that officially condemns capitalism, markets and the imperative of earning hard cash shape people’s daily lives.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eking (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eking%20%28out%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster