live with: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to informal; used in both conversation and formal contexts depending on meaning.
Quick answer
What does “live with” mean?
To share a home with someone or to tolerate/accept an undesirable but permanent situation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To share a home with someone or to tolerate/accept an undesirable but permanent situation.
To coexist with a person, condition, or consequence; to endure something as part of one's life without being able to change it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both dialects use both senses identically. The cohabitation sense is slightly more formal in American English when referring to unmarried couples.
Connotations
In the 'tolerate' sense, both use it with similar emotional weight. In the cohabitation sense, 'live with' is more neutral than 'shack up with' (informal) but less formal than 'cohabit with'.
Frequency
Very frequent in both dialects. The 'tolerate' sense is perhaps slightly more common in American business/management contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “live with” in a Sentence
[Subject] + live with + [Noun Phrase (person/situation)][Subject] + can/must/learn to + live with + [Noun Phrase]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “live with” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She decided to live with her boyfriend in Brighton.
- You'll just have to live with the mess until we move.
American English
- He still lives with his parents in Chicago.
- It's not ideal, but I can live with the compromise.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as a phrasal verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a phrasal verb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as a phrasal verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a phrasal verb.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used regarding accepting risks, outcomes, or decisions: 'We have to live with the new regulations.'
Academic
Used in social sciences (cohabitation) or medicine/psychology (chronic conditions): 'Patients learn to live with chronic pain.'
Everyday
Most common: talking about housing or daily tolerances: 'I live with my sister.' / 'I can't live with this noise.'
Technical
Rarely used in highly technical fields outside of psychosocial contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “live with”
- Incorrect: 'I live with my parents house.' (Correct: 'I live with my parents.' or 'I live at my parents' house.')
- Incorrect preposition: 'I have to live to this mistake.' (Correct: 'live with').
- Overusing for temporary situations: 'I can live with this rain today.' (Better for persistent conditions).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It has two common meanings: 1) to cohabit/share a home, and 2) to tolerate or accept a persistent, often unpleasant, situation.
It is neutral. It is appropriate in everyday conversation and most writing. For very formal legal text regarding cohabitation, 'cohabit with' might be preferred.
'Put up with' is more informal and emphasizes temporary, active忍耐. 'Live with' suggests a more permanent, resigned acceptance as part of one's life.
Not typically for the cohabitation sense. For the tolerance sense, yes, but usually for abstract concepts (consequences, pain, risk) rather than physical objects (e.g., not 'I live with an old car').
To share a home with someone or to tolerate/accept an undesirable but permanent situation.
Live with: in British English it is pronounced /lɪv wɪð/, and in American English it is pronounced /lɪv wɪθ/ or /lɪv wɪð/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “You'll have to learn to live with it.”
- “Live with yourself (accept your own actions).”
- “A decision you can live with.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a house (LIVE) that has a problem INSIDE it (WITH). You either share the house WITH someone, or the problem is IN the house WITH you, and you must accept it.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOLERANCE IS COHABITATION (We 'house' or 'reside with' our problems as if they are unwelcome roommates).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence does 'live with' mean 'tolerate or accept'?