subsist
Definitions
To maintain or support oneself, especially at a minimal level.
To exist or continue to be.
Examples
In the harsh winter, the mountain villagers had to subsist on nothing but dried grains and stored root vegetables.
Many small animals in the desert manage to subsist on very little water by extracting moisture from the plants they eat.
Without a steady income, the family struggled to subsist while waiting for their new business to become profitable.