1 C1 idiomatic neutral
To make a small or insufficient supply of something last longer by using it very carefully.
"They had to eke out their remaining food supplies until the rescue team arrived."
separable
eke out
C1 neutral separable transitive
To make a limited supply last as long as possible, or to just barely manage to achieve or obtain something.
In plain English
To make a small amount of something last a long time, or to barely manage to get what you need.
What does "eke out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
To barely manage to earn a living or maintain an existence, often under difficult conditions.
"Many families in the region eke out a living by fishing and small-scale farming."
separable
3 C1 idiomatic neutral
To achieve or obtain something with great difficulty and by a very small margin.
"The team eked out a narrow victory in the dying seconds of the match."
separable
Usage tip
Often used in the phrases 'eke out a living' (to barely earn enough to survive) or 'eke out a win/victory' (to win by a very small margin). More formal or literary than everyday alternatives. Appears frequently in journalism. The word 'eke' comes from Old English meaning 'to increase.'
Words that pair with "eke out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
living existence victory win supplies savings
How to conjugate "eke out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
eke out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ekes out
he/she/it
Past simple
eked out
yesterday
Past participle
eked out
have + pp
-ing form
eking out
continuous
Hear "eke out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "eke out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.