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eke out
verb
eked out; eking out; ekes out
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
While the tech-heavy Nasdaq and S&P 500 managed to eke out modest gains on Thursday, the Dow’s decline suggests some concerns remain.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
This is the result of volatile collaboration between the 612 hp twin-turbo V-8 engine and the 189 hp electric motor bolted between it and the transmission, both driving all four wheels (together or individually) in whatever manner ekes out the greatest grip and performance.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2024
Mac computers eked out a 1.3% increase in sales to $7.7 billion, while iPad sales grew by 7.8% to $6.9 billion.
—Kali Hays, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
In 2022, when the other successful party compatriots won at least 60% of the voter, Zuckerman eked out 51.41%.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near eke out
Cite this Entry
“Eke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eke%20out. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
eke out
verbˈēk-
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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