WordValemake ends meet
to have just enough money to live
In more detail
(idiom) to have enough money to pay for your basic needs and expenses, especially when money is limited or tight
Examples
- She works two jobs to make ends meet and support her family.
- With the rising cost of living, many families struggle to make ends meet.
How to use make ends meet
This idiom describes the minimal financial situation where income covers necessary expenses but little more remains. It typically appears in contexts of economic hardship, personal budgeting challenges, or discussing someone's financial stability. The phrase conveys a sense of financial strain or tightness, distinguishing it from synonyms like 'prosper' which imply surplus rather than mere survival.
Common phrases
- struggle to make ends meet
- just barely make ends meet
- help someone make ends meet
- able to make ends meet
- find it hard to make ends meet
Synonyms
get by · scrape by · manage financially · keep one's head above water · survive on a budget
Opposites
live lavishly · prosper · thrive financially
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'make both ends meet' (with 'both'), which is non-standard; the correct form is simply 'make ends meet.'
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