Phrase guide

eke out

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To supplement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The old man eked out his pension by selling vegetables from his garden.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To obtain with difficulty or effort.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Near-synonym: squeeze out
  • He eked out a living selling vegetables from his garden.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: squeeze out

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

obtain with difficulty

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He eked out some information from the archives

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: squeeze out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: obtain

4

verb

Meaning 4

make by laborious and precarious means

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He eked out a living as a painter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: squeeze out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gain, take in, clear, make, earn, realize, realise, pull in, bring in

5

verb

Meaning 5

supplement what is thought to be deficient

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He eked out his meager pay by giving private lessons
  • Braque eked out his collages with charcoal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fill out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: supplement

6

verb

Meaning 6

live from day to day, as with some hardship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He eked out his years in great poverty

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: live

History

Etymology

From obsolete eke (“to add to, augment; to increase”) + out.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: aanvullen — to supplement
  • Dutch: rekken — to supplement
  • Finnish: venyttää — to supplement
  • Finnish: täydentää — to supplement
  • French: améliorer — to supplement
  • French: augmenter — to supplement
  • French: accroître un peu — to supplement
  • French: faire durer — to supplement
  • Georgian: ავსებს (avsebs) — to supplement
  • Georgian: აუმჯობესებს (aumǯobesebs) — to supplement
  • Georgian: შეავსებს (šeavsebs) — to supplement
  • Georgian: გააუმჯობესებს (gaaumǯobesebs) — to supplement
  • German: aufbessern — to supplement
  • German: dazuverdienen — to supplement
  • German: hinzuverdienen — to supplement
  • German: strecken — to supplement
  • Hungarian: kiegészít — to supplement
  • Hungarian: kipótol — to supplement
  • Italian: integrare — to supplement
  • Italian: arrotondare — to supplement
  • Polish: dorabiać — to supplement
  • Polish: dorobić — to supplement
  • Russian: дополня́ть (dopolnjátʹ) — to supplement
  • Spanish: suplir — to supplement
  • Spanish: complementar — to supplement
  • Swedish: dryga ut — to supplement
  • Czech: žít z ruky do úst — to obtain with difficulty
  • Czech: živořit — to obtain with difficulty
  • Dutch: bijeenscharrelen — to obtain with difficulty
  • Dutch: bijeenscharten — to obtain with difficulty
  • Finnish: kituuttaa — to obtain with difficulty
  • French: arracher — to obtain with difficulty
  • French: décrocher — to obtain with difficulty
  • French: essayer de joindre les deux bouts — to obtain with difficulty
  • French: gagner tout juste sa vie — to obtain with difficulty
  • Georgian: აღწევს (aɣc̣evs) — to obtain with difficulty
  • Georgian: ახერხებს (axerxebs) — to obtain with difficulty
  • Georgian: თავს ართმევს (tavs artmevs) — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: ergattern — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: erringen — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: erhaschen — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: abtrotzen — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: herausholen — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: abgewinnen — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: zusammenkratzen — to obtain with difficulty
  • German: über die Runden kommen — to obtain with difficulty
  • Hungarian: tengődik — to obtain with difficulty
  • Hungarian: éldegél — to obtain with difficulty
  • Indonesian: bersusah payah — to obtain with difficulty
  • Italian: sbarcare il lunario — to obtain with difficulty
  • Italian: tirare avanti — to obtain with difficulty
  • Italian: tirare la carretta — to obtain with difficulty
  • Polish: wiązać koniec z końcem — to obtain with difficulty
  • Russian: добыва́ть (dobyvátʹ) — to obtain with difficulty
  • Serbo-Croatian: navlačiti — to obtain with difficulty
  • Spanish: ganar a duras penas — to obtain with difficulty
  • Spanish: subsistir a duras penas — to obtain with difficulty