# make ends meet

**Pronunciation:** /meɪk ɛndz miːt/ · MAYK ENDZ MEET

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** idiom

## Meaning

Have enough money to cover one's basic living expenses.

## Examples

- Many families are struggling to make ends meet due to the rising cost of groceries.
- She worked two jobs for years to make ends meet while putting her children through school.
- It is becoming increasingly difficult for students to make ends meet in such an expensive city.

## Synonyms

- get by — General term for managing with limited resources.
- scrape by — Suggests managing with extreme difficulty or very little money.
- survive — Emphasizes the basic necessity of staying afloat.
- subsist — Formal; refers to having only the bare minimum to stay alive.

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